By: Keith Kappes
Columnist
Carter County Times
Yes, that’s exactly what occurred in Morehead last Sunday afternoon at the funeral of Allen “Styx” Hicks, a longtime “super fan” of Bluegrass music in general and of Rhonda Vincent in particular.
Lo and behold, the “Queen of Bluegrass” rolled up in her tour bus at Northcutt and Son Home for Funerals where she and members of her band, The Rage, performed two songs during the service. Hicks, 63, a retired postmaster, lost a two-year battle with cancer.
He had become a celebrity himself as the enthusiastic fan in the front row at Bluegrass concerts throughout Eastern Kentucky and elsewhere. He had more than 4,000 Facebook friends and greeted many prominent and local Bluegrass musicians by first name.
Although Vincent had been aware of Hicks’ death, no public notice was given of her participation in his funeral. Like many others, I assumed she was on tour and perhaps might divert her bus to Morehead for the funeral.
To her credit and as evidence of her warm regard for Hicks, she had no performances scheduled that weekend and apparently came to Morehead from one of her homes in Nashville or Missouri.
My friend Styx had commissioned the building of a new Silverangel Poppy mandolin by Ken Ratcliff and Danning Wang, his apprentice, to be presented to Vincent later this month as a birthday present. Instead, it was uncased at the funeral home and played by Vincent in both songs.
Also performing during the funeral were local Bluegrass artists Scott Tackett, Billie Renee, and David Carroll.
Rhonda and The Rage will be back in Morehead on Friday, June 26, to perform at RudyFest on Poppy Mountain, east of Morehead on U.S. 60.
It was my honor to deliver his eulogy at the funeral and, honestly, it was a thrill to be on the same platform with a Grammy winner/Grand Ole Opry member and, most importantly, with a famous, classy lady who surely appreciates her fans.
For that overflow audience of friends of Styx and other fans of Bluegrass music, yes, it truly was a Storybook funeral.
Contact Keith at keithkappes@gmail.com.
