Solomon Hicks

Biography

Solomon Hicks, often billed as King Solomon Hicks, is an American blues guitarist, vocalist, songwriter, and composer from Harlem, New York. Born and raised in Harlem, he was surrounded by music at home and in local clubs; his parents constantly played records, and his mother took him as a child to legendary uptown venues like Lennox Lounge, Saint Nick’s and the Cotton Club, experiences that shaped his ambitions and ear for jazz and blues.[2][3][4][7] He began playing guitar at about six years old and quickly developed a reputation as “the kid in school that had a guitar on his back,” practicing relentlessly and soaking up knowledge from older musicians at open jams and late‑night sessions.[2][3][4][7]

By his early teens, Hicks had already stepped onto one of New York’s most storied stages: at 13 he became the lead guitarist in a large band at the Cotton Club in Harlem, performing there multiple nights a week and eventually recording his first album, Embryonic, with the Cotton Club All‑Star Band at just 14.[1][2] An eclectic player fluent in jazz, blues, gospel, R&B, funk, classic rock and even some classical guitar, he built his craft as both a rhythm and lead guitarist before his own soloing voice came to the fore.[1][2] After high school, he began touring more widely, playing clubs such as the Iridium and Terra Blues in New York and then extending to Europe and Japan, where he opened for artists like Jeff Beck and Ringo Starr, and appeared on cruises including KISS Kruise V and Joe Bonamassa’s Blues Alive at Sea.[2][3][4]

Hicks’ breakthrough on record came with Harlem, his first major‑label album, released on Provogue Records in 2020 and produced by Grammy‑winner Kirk Yano.[3][4] On Harlem he presents a modern take on the blues—rooted in traditional forms but filtered through soul, rock, and jazz—with a sound he has described as what the blues should feel like “in 2019,” maintaining “a foot in the blues” while avoiding strict traditionalism.[3][5] The album helped establish him as a leading young voice in contemporary blues, earning him the 2021 Blues Music Award for Best Emerging Artist and spotlight recognition such as WXPN’s “Artist To Watch.”[4] Alongside his performance career, Hicks has become an ambassador for the music that raised him, judging at the International Blues Challenge in Memphis, teaching for organizations like the Children’s Aid Society, and supporting programs through groups such as the Harlem Arts Alliance and New York City Jazzmobile, thereby extending his legacy to the next generation of blues and jazz musicians.[2][4]

Fun Facts

• Hicks began performing professionally at Harlem’s Cotton Club at just 13 years old, playing in a large house band several nights a week while still in school.[1][2]
• He recorded his first album, Embryonic, with the Cotton Club All‑Star Band when he was only 14, giving him studio experience long before most peers had graduated high school.[1]
• His 2020 album Harlem earned him the 2021 Blues Music Award for Best Emerging Artist, positioning him as one of the leading young figures in contemporary blues.[4]
• Hicks’ original tune “421 South Main” was named one of Spotify’s Top 20 blues songs of 2020, and his track “What the Devil Loves” continues to receive significant radio play on SiriusXM’s Bluesville channel.[4]

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• Unnamed Harlem club musicians (Lennox Lounge, Saint Nick’s, Cotton Club) - Older local musicians in Harlem who provided an informal ‘master class’ environment at clubs, open jams, and big‑band gigs while Hicks was growing up and learning both rhythm and lead guitar. (Early work with the Cotton Club All‑Star Band and nightly performances at the Cotton Club that led to his debut album Embryonic.) [Childhood through mid‑teens (roughly ages 6–16).]

Key Collaborators

• Kirk Yano - Grammy‑winning producer and engineer who helped Hicks shape the sound and artistic direction of his first major‑label album, emphasizing a modern blues aesthetic rooted in Harlem. (Produced and recorded the album Harlem (Provogue Records, 2020).) [Recording period circa 2018–2019 leading up to the 2020 release.[3][4]]
• Members of Soulive and Lettuce - Session and backing musicians who contributed to the groove‑oriented, funk‑and‑soul inflected arrangements on Harlem. (Contributed as part of the studio band on Harlem.) [Recording sessions completed in late 2019.[3]]
• Roger Earl - Foghat/Savoy Brown drummer who added classic rock and R&B flavor to one of Hicks’ key album tracks. (Plays drums on Hicks’ R&B‑styled take on Fred Koller’s “What the Devil Loves” on Harlem.) [Recording period up to late 2019.[2][3]]
• Jeff Beck and Ringo Starr (live bills) - Major artists for whom Hicks opened in Europe, expanding his international profile and placing his blues guitar in rock and pop contexts. (Shared concert bills and festival stages; opening sets rather than joint recordings.) [Post‑high‑school European touring years (late 2010s).[2][3]]
• Buddy Guy, Samantha Fish, Tony Bennett, Jimmie Vaughan, Beth Hart, Mavis Staples, Robert Cray, Eric Gales, Norman Nardini (live bills) - Established blues, rock, and soul artists with whom Hicks has shared stages at festivals, cruises, and high‑profile concerts, reflecting his integration into the contemporary blues circuit. (Festival and concert appearances including KISS Kruise V and Joe Bonamassa’s Blues Alive at Sea (2017 & 2019).) [Primarily mid‑ to late‑2010s into early 2020s.[2][4]]

Artists Influenced

• Young blues and jazz students in New York and at the International Blues Challenge - Hicks has served as a judge for the International Blues Challenge in Memphis and has taught through organizations like the Children’s Aid Society, Harlem Arts Alliance, and New York City Jazzmobile, mentoring emerging players and encouraging youth participation in blues and jazz. (Educational workshops, private instruction, and adjudicating performances at the IBC; not tied to specific commercial recordings.) [Roughly late 2010s through early 2020s.[2][4]]

External Links

• Spotify