John Hickman, 7 Oct. 1942-11 May 2021

The BIB learns with regret of the death on Tuesday of John Hickman, one of the most respected players and teachers of the 5-string banjo among his generation. As mentioned at the end of Tom Adams's 2009 profile of him for Banjo News Letter (BNL), he was in 1974 the first player interviewed for BNL, and he was also one of those featured and interviewed in depth by Tony Trischka and Pete Wernick in their Masters of the 5-string banjo (1988; reissued 2000).

More details, together with photos, a tribute from his former pupil Ron Block, and a recording from his solo album, are in John Lawless's feature on Bluegrass Today. The BIB strongly recommends the photo in this feature taken by Jim Dirden in 2000.

© Richard Hawkins