Who is Sara Hickman?

Let's start with May 2010
Sara will become the next Official State Musician of Texas, following in the footsteps of the legendary Willie Nelson, and she plans on using this title to help families create together and bring art programs into public schools.

But, at the very beginning...
Age 7: Sara got a guitar. She named it Martha.
Age 8: Sara wrote/performed her first song on stage, winning first place from the Daughters of the American Revolution.

As a child in Houston
With a fiber artist mother, a painter for a dad, a soccer playing sister, Sara's world was full of interactive creativity: writing, painting, wild art parties thrown by her parents on occasional weekends, with interesting women in fur coats and long cigarettes, collegiate art students around the piano, everyone singing "Girl From Ipanema," Sara in pajamas, eyes full of enthusiasm.

Teen Years
Sara attended the High School for Performing and Visual Arts, studying vocals and beginning to perform at bank openings, weddings, in psychiatric units, and even at a pizza parlor. She also started getting involved in bands.

College Years
Graduated w/a B.A. in Fine Arts from the University of North Texas/Denton. Set to become an art director, she switched plans when she moved to Dallas, creating her first album, Equal Scary People with Brave Combo founder, Carl Finch, who had seen her on a cable access show.

Multiple awards were won from the Dallas Observer, so Sara landed a deal with Windham Hill, then Elektra. Sara began touring, playing festivals, appearing on VH1, singing on the Tonight Show.

Then... Crash!
Elektra decided to shelve Sara's next project and drop the album. Sara's fans rallied together to help her raise $50,000 to buy the album back. It was a moving testimony to the power of the people.

Community Issues

Sara does a world of good. She's raised hundreds of thousands of $'s for: the Dallas Dance for Life; House the Homeless; Bryan's House; AAIM; PETA; Amnesty International; homeless shelters, SPCA, Mothers' Milk Bank, TCADP; visited Romania to deliver clothing, money and supplies to orphans; and personally raised more than $50,000 for the Hill Country Youth Ranch in Ingram, Texas, a safe haven for severely abused children. The HCYR then opened the Sara Hickman Childrens' Fund, which accepts matching grants and buys musical instruments, dance shoes, and art supplies for the children of the ranch. Sara's involvement in music and art therapy continued through ARTS (Artistic and Recreational Therapies), leading her to perform for children in burn units, AIDS and stroke victims, and in psychiatric units, where she utilized her talents and love to help with the healing process. Lastly, in 2004, Sara was the National Ambassador for Half Price Books visiting hospitals and schools across the U.S., helping to promote literacy where she performed and read to children.

Extras

Sara produced, directed, and filmed her first video, Joy, winning first place in the USA Film Festival; started a side project, Domestic Science Club, a three-part girl group best described as "the Andrews Sisters meet the Roches." This group released two CDs, Domestic Science Club and Three Women.

Touring

Sara's toured with Billy Bragg, Nanci Griffith and Dan Fogelberg. Opened for everyone from Lucinda Williams to John Hiatt to the Decemberists.

Discography

Parenting, Teaching and Public Speaking

In 1997, Sara was profoundly intrigued by a parenting class, and she became a certified instructor. While teaching "Redirecting Children's Behavior," Sara was inspired by parents who felt unsure how to be spontaneous, creative, or musical with their children. Thus began her series of releases for children (and their parents). Sara teaches parenting, creativity and songwriting classes, and is on the roster with the International Speaker's Bureau.

Children's Awards

Adult Awards

Stingray

Lance Schriner (photographer/designer), Todd Wolfson (photographer/designer), Neil Ferguson (designer) and Sara (art director), are the founders of Stingray, a design group creating CD, poster, package and book jacket designs. They've created design for Ian Moore, Tish Hinojosa, Christine Albert and Chris Gage, Jonathan Edwards, The Will Taylor String Quartet, Tequila Mockingbird, etc.

Commercial Work

Daisy Sour Cream, Southwest Airlines, Fannie Mae, Popeye's and many others are also part of Sara's portfolio—she writes and sings national commercials, too.

Homelife

With all that Sara is involved in, she spends the majority of her time with her husband and children. She can be found at home having a picnic in the backyard, or helping her girls to paint a wall mural in their room. She attends their field trips and occasionally teaches art and music in their classes. She loves to bowl (her high score is a 197), paint murals, garden, occasionally write articles for books and magazines, and hang out with her husband doing absolutely nothing but holding hands.