Chickasaw citizen Connor Hicks was 15 when he asked for his first guitar. By age 17 he joined a band, writing and making music. Nothing gave his dad, Ronnie Hicks, more joy than to watch his son sing and play on stage. Connor's career gained momentum while he attended the Academy of Contemporary Music at the University of Central Oklahoma, and there he sharpened his songwriting skills and found his voice. But Connor's life and musical potential were tragically cut short. In 2017, at just 20 years old, Connor passed away in a car accident. "He loved being in the studio and he was in the process of recording a second EP when he passed away," says his father. Today, the Hicks family celebrates his life by keeping his music alive and completing the album he was working on before he died, titling it "Legacy."

Through Connor's music, the Hicks family hopes to encourage other young musicians to pursue their dreams. They've also established an endowed memorial scholarship at UCO in his name. "It's very comforting to listen to his music because in many ways, Connor's lyrics, music, were a window into his soul," Ronnie says. "Everything he did, he poured himself into. Every day he woke up to make the most of it."