Robert Hicks was an influential figure in the music industry in Nashville for over two decades, serving as both a music publisher and artist manager. He played a crucial role in the preservation and restoration of the historic Carnton plantation in Tennessee. His research into the extraordinary role of Carrie McGavock during and after the Battle of Franklin inspired his writing career.

Hicks is best known for his authorship of the novels The Widow of the South and A Separate Country, both of which explore themes of history and personal struggle.