Hickman is best known for co-founding the band Cracker. His fiery lead guitar sound and spirited co-writing gave flavor to that band's alternative radio hits, including Teen Angst, Low, Get Off This, and Eurotrash Girl. Cracker, founded in 1991 with childhood friend David Lowery, has eight full-length releases to date. Kerosene Hat (1994) remains an alternative music collection staple. Lowery and Hickman together are seen as godfathers of the alternative music scene, who turned gently away from plaid-clad grunge in the 1990s with more countrified and bluesy stylings. Their collaboration with the jam-band Leftover Salmon in 2003 further proved that no one genre could contain them.
Prior to his tenure in Cracker, Hickman toured as a solo/folk acoustic performer, had a brief stint in the Unforgiven (a tongue-in-cheek-Western guitar rock band), and co-founded the Inland Empire (California) cult band the Dangers. Influenced by punk rock, surf guitar, and true Bakersfield country, Hickman's sound is often imitated but never perfected by anyone but he and his signature 1978 Les Paul. In 2005 Johnny released his first solo CD "Palmhenge" (Available for purchase at Campstoverecords.com) receiving high praise from America's number 1 rock critic Robert Christgau. It received "Voice's Choice" in The Village Voice as well as a great review in Blender magazine.
Occasionally, Hickman ventures away from solo work and Cracker to spearhead side projects, such as All Thumbs Trio (with moe. guitarist Chuck Garvey, and East Coast guitarist Gibb Droll), the Hickman-Dalton Gang (a classic country project with Railbenders singer Jim Dalton) and Crazysloth, his Arizona-based band which contributed a song to the Bruce Springsteen charity benefit CD "Light of Day" before disbanding. Film and TV work to date include one full film score for the independent River Red, as well as the placement of Lowery/Hickman songs in several popular films.
Hey Johnny! Just dropping by to see whats the latest, I'm all high-speed internet now and stuff hahahaha. Living midway between St. Louis and Chi-town now, so maybe I'll get to make some upcoming shows. Keep on rocking us my man!
You are so sweet Johnny...thanks for signing my "special CD " Was sweet to meet you! You sounded GREAT last night~ lots a hugs for you ~ Peace to you always
What can I say Johnny? You guys blew my ass away again! I haven't danced that hard since the last time you and Camper came to town. Seriously sore and achy, but still grinning. So good to see you again! Thank you so much for being a total sweetie! And for loving what you do so well. Hugs and blessings and BIG BIG LOVE! lu
Hi Johnny, I was cleanin' out my old Ford pick-up yesterday when I came across a receipt from a local record store for "Palmhenge"....it made me smile. It also hollered out to me, "Girl, you haven't cleaned out this truck since 2005?". Hope yer havin' a lovely day!
Hey Johnny, you guys need to come back to New Orleans. I've got the new album and it rocks. My wife Jolinda and I are really hoping you come back to N.O. or south Texas so we can hear it live!
