Happy Birthday, Tony Hicks

Photo from the Official Hollies Facebook page.

It was nice to see a number of birthday wishes to guitarist-vocalist Tony Hicks of The Hollies on Facebook today. As with The Hollies themselves, Hicks doesn’t always get the credit he deserves. Likewise for drummer Bobby Elliott, whose birthday we celebrated earlier this month. Hicks is a superb musician and one third of the glorious harmonies that have been a Hollies trademark since the days he helped create them with Graham Nash and Allan Clarke.

He also wrote hits such as “Carrie Anne” and “Dear Eloise” with Nash and Clarke, and came up with the idea for “Stop Stop Stop,” which features his distinctive banjo playing. Later, Hicks collaborated with songwriter Kenny Lynch on the terrific tracks “Long Dark Road” and “To Do With Love” on the Distant Light album. He’s also a good judge of outside material, having suggested “The Air That I Breathe” to the band.

Hicks and Elliott are still active members of The Hollies, who are currently touring Europe. I highly recommend the DVD Look Through Any Window The Hollies 1962 - 1975. Hicks, along with Nash, Clarke, and Elliott, provides running commentary throughout this entertaining documentary, and demonstrates some of the more interesting riffs he’s played over the years.