Bill Hicks

Bill Hicks
Bill Hicks at the Laff Stop in Austin, 1991
Birth name	William Melvin Hicks
Born	(1961-12-16)December 16, 1961 Valdosta, Georgia, U.S.
Died	February 26, 1994(1994-02-26) (aged 32) Little Rock, Arkansas, U.S.
Medium	Comedian, musician
Years active	1978–1994
Genres	Dark comedy, political satire, observational comedy
Subject(s)	American culture, American politics, current events, pop culture, human sexuality, philosophy, religion, spirituality, recreational drug use, entheogens, conspiracy theories, consumerism
Website	www.billhicks.com

William Melvin Hicks (December 16, 1961 – February 26, 1994) was an American stand-up comedian, social critic, satirist, and musician. His material, encompassing a wide range of social issues including religion, politics, and philosophy, was controversial, and often steeped in dark comedy.

At the age of 16, while still in high school, he began performing at the Comedy Workshop in Houston, Texas. During the 1980s, he toured the United States extensively and made a number of high-profile television appearances; but it was in the UK that he amassed a significant fan base, filling large venues during his 1991 tour. He also achieved a modicum of recognition as a guitarist and songwriter.

Hicks died of pancreatic cancer on February 26, 1994, in Little Rock, Arkansas, at the age of 32. In subsequent years his work gained a significant measure of acclaim in creative circles—particularly after a series of posthumous album releases—and he developed a substantial cult following. In 2007 he was voted sixth on Britain's Channel 4 list of the 100 Greatest Stand-Up Comics, and rose to number four on the 2010 list. In 2017, Rolling Stone magazine ranked him thirteenth on its list of the 50 best stand-up comics of all time.

Hicks was born in Valdosta, Georgia, the son of James Melvin "Jim" Hicks (1923–2006) and Mary Reese Hicks, the younger sibling of Lynn and Steve. The family lived in Florida, Alabama, and New Jersey before settling in Houston, Texas, when Bill was seven. He was drawn to comedy at an early age, emulating Woody Allen and Richard Pryor, and writing routines with his friend Dwight Slade. At school he began performing comedy—mostly derivations of Woody Allen material—for his classmates. At home, he would write his own one-liners and slide them under the bedroom door of his brother Steve—the only family member Bill respected—for his critical analysis. "Keep it up", Steve told him. "You're really good at this."