Hicks with Sticks is the site for roots Americana, western swing, alt-country and rockabilly in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Hicks with Sticks began as a radio show in October of ’99. It was an era before social media, and an e-letter told listeners about up-coming guests, new CDs, and news about bands that fit somewhere between the acoustic stylings bluegrass and old-tyme, and the electrified angst of cow-punk and psychobilly.
But video really had killed the radio star in the M-TV dominated ’90s. A new generation of musicians from an mixed bag of singer-songwriter, surf, new wave, punk, were turning to western swing, Bakersfield country, California rock and Memphis rockabilly for inspiration. Hicks with Sticks radio, which featured live bands, CD releases, a calendar and interviews, provided local twangers with a voice.
Still, tastes in radio had changed from local to global as the Internet and satellites began to stream music. As the HWS radio audience idled, the newsletter continued to grew, and so did its coverage. Stompin’ Steve Hathaway added the calendar, the range of news topics broadened, and it’s reach extended to places within driving range of venues from Santa Rosa to Santa Cruz and west of the Oakland Hills. The newsletter morphed into this website in 2002 and, as always, there are no ads, no spam and there’s never a cover charge.
José Segue (pictured on the banner) writes Hicks with Sticks News, plays locals on the radio every other month or so. He’s produced live music events, MCed, DJed and produced A Town North of Bakersfield, a compilation of SF Bay Area twang, circa 2005, that included Joy Luck Club author Amy Tan cracking her whip to “These Boots Are Made for Walkin’;” confessions about Elvis from Kay Wheeler who was President of the his fan club back in the day; and a hulabilly cover of Blondie’s “Dreaming.” 
Stompin’ Steve Hathaway maintains the HWS calendar and hosts “The Cupertino Barndance”on 91.5 FM in KKUP Cupertino every Sunday from 9:00-Midnight. He’s also the webmaster of www.WesternSwing.com, which is a full-featured, free site dedicated to western swing past and present.
CONTACTS
Hicks with Sticks on Facebook features quick dispatches, announcements, pictures, videos and updates.
Email JoseSegue at this site’s URL about new releases, up and coming bands, radio/MC/DJ gigs, scandals and other items of interest to the Hicks with Sticks Nation; or to just say “hi”… but please, no gig/calendar-related email. For that, add Steve at WesternSwing dot you know what to your gig announcements list. Bands listed on the HWS Bands page are the main focus of the Calendar Page