Norman Vickers is known as a harmonica-playing physician who was a pioneer in his field in his adopted city, and who for the past 40 years, has been the jazz ambassador and moving spirit behind Jazz Pensacola, one of the country’s more active jazz societies.
An endowment fund was established in 2013 to enhance the Society’s educational activities and was named in honor of Dr. Vickers. The stated purpose of the F. Norman Vickers Artist in Residence Fund is to bring jazz musicians and educators to Pensacola to provide school and college workshops, instruction, performances and related assistance to the community not already provided by the Society’s existing activities.
A stipulation of the Vickers Fund is that a minimum of $20,000 must be achieved before 10% of any excess may be withdrawn annually to initiate and underwrite the Artist in Residence program. The Fund to date has raised $17,349. A group of friends, recognizing that Dr. Vickers is now in his 90th year, have organized a campaign to raise the Fund balance to a minimum of $25,000.
Growing Up in Mississippi
Norman Vickers’ parents were in the wholesale vegetable plant business in Hattiesburg, selling cabbage and tomato plants to seed-and-feed stores and canning companies such as H.J. Heinz, Campbell Soups, and Libby. His mother was a classical pianist, so it was natural that her son should take piano lessons.
