Born in Atlanta on December 21st 1942, pianist John Hicks spent his early childhood in Los Angeles. He began piano lessons with his mother at age 6, and by the time his family moved to St.Louis (John was 13), he was already playing for the choir and for Sunday School at the church where the senior Hicks was minister.

In High School new musical challenges and influences were brought to the fore, he became active in the band and choir and some of his schoolmates were Phillip Wilson and Lester Bowie.

Hicks next attended Lincoln University in Jefferson City, Missouri and Berklee College of Music in Boston before moving to New York in the early 1960's.