Charles Clifford Wicker passed away on January 30, 2022. He was born on January 12, 1936, in Louisville, Mississippi. From his parents he inherited a love of reading, music and photography. Throughout his life, he loved to challenge himself. He wasn’t competitive in that he wanted to defeat others, rather he competed with himself to see how good he could be at something if he put his mind to it.
Charlie started beginner band in Louisville, in a converted boiler room at the school. The family then moved to Biloxi and he became the youngest member of the Biloxi High band at 13 years old. He dabbled in baseball and softball, throwing many a pitch against the quonset hut housing on Keesler Air Force Base. He returned to Louisville in 1952, played a little basketball and did the odd music gig with a group called Oakley Sharpe and the Sharpshooters.
Someone started a track team at LHS, and they practiced in a field near Charlie’s house. The coach borrowed three hurdles, checked out some books on how to run hurdles races and Charlie found a new love. The next year he made it to the state track meet, running in white t-shirts and swimming trunks because the team didn’t have any uniforms.
Charlie graduated from Louisville High School in 1954, as class president and class favorite, and headed to Hinds Community College, where he was active in the band and the track team. He was the state champion in both high and low hurdles in 1955 and 1956. He served in the Marine Corps reserves and earned a sharpshooter medal. He took a job as band director in Hazlehurst when he was just 20, on a temporary license, then at Raymond High School while he finished his degree at Mississippi College. He worked two years in Pearl and realized that his love was teaching the beginners and laying the foundation for a quality program. He taught himself to play every wind instrument in the band, just so that he could teach his students.
He had a long and successful career with Wright Music Company, beginning with traveling the state to help band directors get their beginner bands started and to help parents purchase their instruments. Charlie loved getting to know the band directors and helping them be successful, often going so far as arranging music for them. During the 60’s he also started his 51-year career with the Mississippi Symphony, met his wife, Janet, and started his family. Many musicians and band directors will remember the gatherings at Wright’s, the jam sessions, the long conversations about music and teaching, and the friendships that were made.
Charlie Wicker’s music career is hard to condense to one paragraph. He entertained so many people in so many varied ways: he played oboe and English horn with the symphony; he played trumpet and sax in dixieland jazz groups; he played with dance bands and big bands literally all over the world. He played at weddings, engagements, birthday parties, grand openings, church programs, and school musicals. He backed up hundreds of performers in Jackson, including Dorothy Moore and BB King. He recorded with artists at Malaco Recording Studios, sometimes serving as the entire horn section! His “greatest hits” from those times are “Mr. Big Stuff” by Jean Knight and “Groove Me” by King Floyd. He especially loved playing in house bands on the Mississippi Queen. He cruised the Mississippi River countless times, entertaining passengers and making friends. He also strolled many miles at Char and Table 100 entertaining the brunch crowd and taking all the requests. He really could play anything.
Charlie was preceded in death by his parents, Henry and Cornelia Wicker; his sister, Elizabeth Gray; and his wife Janet (Spell).
He is survived by his sister, Patricia McWhirter; daughter, Wanda (Randy) Pearcy; son, Charles Henry (Chuck) Wicker; five grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be held on Tuesday, February 1, 2022 from 5:00 to 7:00 pm at Parkway Funeral Home. A funeral service will take place on Wednesday, February 2, 2022 at 2:00 pm in the chapel at Parkway Funeral Home.
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