Johnny Hicks born 19 May 1918

Johnny Hicks was born on a farm near Kansas City, Missouri, USA. While attending the University of Texas, in 1938, Hicks was offered an announcing job on a local Austin station. It turned out to be with the country music programme of Wilbert Lee O’Daniel, then Governor of Texas. 

In 1941, he worked as a disc jockey and sang on KABC San Antonio and WBAP Fort Worth, where working with Ernest Tubb converted him completely to country music. He relocated to Dallas, in 1942 and worked with the Callahan Brothers and Jim Boyd on different stations. He later appeared with Jimmy Heap and Adolph Hofner at other venues. 

In 1946, he returned to KRLD Dallas, a powerful station whose transmissions could even be received in Canada and Mexico. Here he first presented the Cornbread Matinee, a daily live show before taking over the new Big “D” Jamboree which he helped to re-name with Al Turner. "It was kind of euphonious," Hicks once said of the new name, "and it stuck." 

Not long after that, the Jamboree took off, booking the likes of Ray Price and Lefty Frizzell.  In 1949, even Hank Williams showed up on the Sportatorium stage: He had been kicked off the Opry for his excessive drinking, and he needed a place to play. It was at the Jamboree, say old-timers, that Williams heard Price and convinced him to go to Nashville, where, soon enough, he'd become a star with "Crazy Arms." 

In 1951, Hicks swung a deal with CBS' radio network that brought the Jamboree to the nation's airwaves every third Saturday night, as part of its Saturday Night Country Style program. He compeered and sang on this show for 10 years, first on radio and later when it moved to television. 

Hicks behind Elvis at the Big D

From 1954 , the Big D Jamboree mainly contributed to the spread of rockabilly , as Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins, Warren Smith and many other rockabilly artists performed here and escaped the strict regimen of the WSM Grand Ole Opry . Hicks had a copy of Presley's contract framed on his wall. "We paid him $225 a night, and he had to furnish his own drummer." The show was considered one of the most important radio shows in Texas and the rest of the southern states. 

Hicks also did four Hillbilly Hit Parade record shows weekly. He recorded extensively for Columbia from 1950 to 1954 and wrote many songs including the patriotic story of the recalled soldier ‘I Thought I Was Home To Stay’, a sort of tribute to Bob Wills ‘I Can’t Get Enough Of That Ah-Ha’ and the semi-weepy story of a blind man ‘The Man On The Corner’. 

Hicks retired to California in the 60s but even then he presented his Johnny Hick’s Country Gold on KTOM Salinas before his death in Carmel, CA on April 9, 1997, aged only 59. 

(Edited from AllMusic & Wikipedia)