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Charlie Hicks
Pioneer Category –
Inducted 1984
Charlie Hicks is a pioneer in the polka field from
the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania area. At eighteen years of age, he
already displayed his musical talent by playing accordion. In 1930 he
formed a small dance band. In 1937 he made his first recording for RCA
Victor. He then joined the staff of radio station WREN in Philadelphia
and provided music for their Polish, Italian, Jewish and American radio
shows. When the Major Bowes Hour was popular on radio back in 1940,
Charlie Hicks auditioned and came out a winner. Because of this
contest, Charlie signed a contract to travel and play all over the U.S.
After this tour he organized a 16-piece band and played a lot of campus
jobs, hotels, and night clubs. He recorded Six albums on his own label,
Goodwill Records.
In his later years he operated an appliance and
music store in Conshohocken, Pennsylvania. At the age of 70, he is
still active in the business as a polka record distributor. You might
run into him at the record and tape concessions at polka festivals.
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