Winky Hicks
American bluegrass musician and instrument maker
About Winky Hicks
Winky Hicks was an American musician, musical instrument maker and banjoist.
James "Winky" Hicks (born 1953) is a bluegrass musician and instrument maker from Grove Hill, Alabama. An uncle gave him the "Winky" nickname. with his band, the Frontier Bluegrass.
He started making bluegrass string instruments in 2000. By 2019 he had constructed more than 200 mandolins, banjos, fiddles, and guitars. In 2011, he was named a "Black Belt Treasured Artist" by the Black Belt Treasures Cultural Arts Center, a non-profit from Camden, Alabama. In 2019, he built a guitar, painted by a local artist, to commemorate Alabama's 2018 national championship; the guitar, signed by Nick Saban, fetched $3,500 in an auction with proceeds going to Saban's charity, Nick's Kids.
He also makes turkey yelpers.
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Important facts
Related people
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Frequently asked questions
Who was Winky Hicks?
American bluegrass musician and instrument maker
What was Winky Hicks's occupation?
Winky Hicks was a musician, musical instrument maker and banjoist.
What nationality was Winky Hicks?
Winky Hicks was American.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Winky Hicks. https://biography.guide/winky-hicks/
MLA: "Winky Hicks." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/winky-hicks/.
Chicago: "Winky Hicks." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/winky-hicks/.
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