“King” Solomon Hicks, the 26-year-old guitar phenom from Harlem, New York is an American guitarist, vocalist, songwriter and composer. He has invested in music from a very young age and started playing guitar at just six years old. Growing up in Harlem he was constantly surrounded by music. Hicks witnessed performances that made a significant impact on his ambitions as a musician and he says: “When you’re around good musicians, it gives you that spark . “Being around those types of musicians also taught me to NOT be the fastest guitar player. I wanted to be the one who knew the most riffs and drew on a lot of knowledge so I could play anything, and with anyone.”
Hicks began building a reputation on the scene that rapidly spread outside of the New York area — while his home turf expanded to venues such as the Iridium, the Red Rooster, Ashford and Simpson’s Sugar Bar, Terra Blues and more. After high school Hicks began playing in Europe, opening for Jeff Beck and Ringo Starr, playing festivals in Spain and France, as well as at the Cotton Club in Tokyo, and being booked on KISS Kruise V in 2017 and on this year’s Joe Bonamassa Blues Alive at Sea Cruise. He’s shared stages with the likes of Tony Bennett, Beth Hart, George Thorogood & the Destroyers, Mavis Staples, Paul Shaffer and others.
From the woods of Northern New Jersey, The Outcrops present original blues-infused rock’n’roll. The four-piece band was formed in 2016 by lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Cassidy Rain and lead guitarist Bryan Schroeder.
As a singer, Cassidy has been compared to Bonnie Raitt and Susan Tedeschi, but her raw sensibility as front person could as easily bring comparisons to blues legends like Howlin’ Wolf or Muddy Waters. Bryan’s playing falls somewhere between Duane Allman and Derek Trucks, as many fans have pointed out. Bryan has also noted Jerry Garcia as a major influence. His long flowing lead lines throughout songs intertwine with Cassidy’s vocal phrases to create a very melodic sound that sets the tone for The Outcrops. The rhythm section of the band includes Jason Casanovas on bass and Max Adler on drums. Both Max and Jason bring a funk and soul feel that melds beautifully with Cassidy and Bryan, creating their band tag: Rock & Roll, Blues & Soul.
Join us in welcoming “King” Solomon Hicks and The Outcrops to Roy’s Hall.
