Stanley Hicks (1911–1989) was an American folk artist from
Watauga County
Watauga County ( ) from the North Carolina Collection's website at the ,
North Carolina
North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and So ...
. Hicks was known for his musical instrument building, particularly banjos and dulcimers, and for his woodwork, work as a musician, dancer and storyteller.
Hicks has been recognized as a "National Historic Artist" by the
Blue Ridge National Heritage Area
The Blue Ridge National Heritage Area is a federally designated National Heritage Area encompassing the twenty-five westernmost counties of North Carolina, which are associated with the Blue Ridge Mountains. The designation provides a framework fo ...
of the US
National Park Service
The National Park Service (NPS) is an agency of the United States federal government within the U.S. Department of the Interior that manages all national parks, most national monuments, and other natural, historical, and recreational propertie ...
. He was a recipient of a 1983
National Heritage Fellowship
The National Heritage Fellowship is a lifetime honor presented to master folk and traditional artists by the National Endowment for the Arts. Similar to Japan's Living National Treasure award, the Fellowship is the United States government's h ...
awarded by the
National Endowment for the Arts
The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) is an independent agency of the United States federal government that offers support and funding for projects exhibiting artistic excellence. It was created in 1965 as an independent agency of the federal ...
, which is the United States government's highest honor in the folk and traditional arts.
In the early 1980s Hicks was filmed by UNC-TV for the "Music From The Hills" episode of the ''Folkways'' series. The original camera tapes from these interviews have been digitized and are being preserved by
UNC-TV
The University of North Carolina Center for Public Media, branded on-air as PBS North Carolina or commonly PBS NC, is a public television network serving the state of North Carolina. It is operated by the University of North Carolina system, whic ...