Junior Parker

Junior Parker
Background information
Birth name Herman Parker, Jr.
Also known as Mr Blues, Little Junior Parker
Born May 27, 1932(1932-05-27)
Clarksdale, Mississippi or West Memphis, Arkansas
Died November 18, 1971(1971-11-18) (aged 39)
Blue Island, Illinois
Genres Blues, gospel
Occupations Musician
Instruments Vocals, harmonica
Years active 1951–1971
Labels Sun Records
Modern Records
Capitol
Associated acts The Blue Flames

Junior Parker (May 27, 1932 – November 18, 1971) was an American Memphis blues singer and musician.[1] He is best remembered for his unique voice which has been described as "honeyed," and "velvet-smooth".[2] He was posthumously inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 2001.[3]

One music journalist noted, "For years Junior Parker deserted downhome harmonica blues for uptown blues-soul music".[4]

Contents

Biography

Junior Parker was born in either Clarksdale, Mississippi,[5] or West Memphis, Arkansas.[6]

He sang in gospel groups as a child,[7] and played on the various blues circuits beginning in his teenage years. His biggest influence as a harmonica player was Sonny Boy Williamson,[8] with whom he worked before moving on to work for Howlin' Wolf in 1949. Around 1950 he was a member of Memphis's ad hoc group, the Beale Streeters, with Bobby 'Blue' Bland and B.B. King.

In 1951 he formed his own band, the Blue Flames, with the guitarist Pat Hare.[9] Parker was discovered in 1952 by Ike Turner, who signed him to Modern Records. He put out one single on this record label, "You're My Angel."[10] This brought him to the attention of Sam Phillips, and he and his band signed onto Sun Records in 1953. There they produced three successful songs: "Feelin' Good" (which reached # 5 on the US Billboard R&B chart), "Love My Baby," and "Mystery Train", later covered by Elvis Presley.[11] For Presley's version of "Mystery Train", Scotty Moore borrowed the guitar riff from Parker's "Love My Baby".[12]

Later in 1953, Parker toured with Bobby Bland and Johnny Ace, and also joined Duke Records. Parker and Bland headed the highly successful Blues Consolidated Revue, which became a staple part of the southern blues circuit. He continued to have a string of hits on the R&B chart, including the smooth "Next Time You See Me" (1957); re-makes of Roosevelt Sykes' song "Driving Wheel" (1961), Robert Johnson's "Sweet Home Chicago", Guitar Slim's "The Things That I Used to Do" (1963), and Don Robey's "Mother-in-Law Blues" (1956); plus his own "Stand by Me" (1961).

His success was limited after he left Duke in 1966. He recorded for various labels, including Mercury, Blue Rock, Minit, and Capitol.

Parker died on November 18, 1971, at age 39, in Blue Island, Illinois, during surgery for a brain tumor.

Tributes

On his 1974 album ...Explores Your Mind, Al Green dedicated his original version of the song "Take Me To The River" to Parker, who he describes as "a cousin of mine who's gone on, and we'd kinda like to carry on in his name."

See also

Discography

Singles

Albums

Track listing: "Driving Wheel"; "I Need Love So Bad"; "Foxy Devil"; "Someone Broke This Heart of Mine"; "How Long Can This Go On"; "Yonders Wall"; "Annie Get Your Yo-Yo"; "Tin Pan Alley"; "Someone Somewhere"; "Seven Days"; "The Tables have Turned"; "Sweet Talking Woman"
Track listing: Love Ain't Nothin' But a Business Goin' On; "The Outside Man"; "Darling Depend on Me"; "Taxman"; "Rivers Invitation"; "I Wonder Where Our Love Has Gone"; "Just to Hold My Hand"; "You Know I Love You"; "Lady Madonna"; "Tomorrow Never Knows"

References

  1. ^ Junior Parker was born on May 27, in 1932. He was an African-American Blues singer and musician [1] retrieved 08/15/07
  2. ^ Parker's voice described. http://www.pbs.org/theblues/roadtrip/mem-louissongs.html retrieved 08/26/07
  3. ^ In 2001, Parker was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame. [2] retrieved 08/15/07
  4. ^ Russell, Tony (1997). The Blues: From Robert Johnson to Robert Cray. Dubai: Carlton Books Limited. p. 202. ISBN 1-85868-255-X. 
  5. ^ Born in Clarksdale, Mississippi [3] retrieved 08/15/07
  6. ^ "Junior Parker:All About Jazz". http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/musician.php?id=10118. Retrieved 2010-10-11. 
  7. ^ Little Junior Parker b
  8. ^ harp style was personally mentored by none other than regional icon Sonny Boy Williamson. [4] retrieved 08/15/07
  9. ^ Beale Streeters http://www.pbs.org/theblues/roadtrip/mem-louissongs.html Retrieved 08/26/07
  10. ^ first recording opportunity from talent scout Ike Turner [5] retrieved 08/15/07
  11. ^ Parker wrote and recorded "Mystery Train" later covered by Elvis Presley. http://www.pbs.org/theblues/roadtrip/mem-louissongs.html retrieved 08/26/07
  12. ^ PARKER, Little Junior : MusicWeb Encyclopaedia of Popular Music

External links