Bobby Parker
Bobby Parker (born August 31, 1937 in Lafayette , Louisiana , † October 31, 2013 in Bowie , Maryland ) was an American blues guitarist, singer and songwriter. Parker was named as a role model by a number of well-known musicians, including Eric Clapton , Jimmy Page and, above all, Carlos Santana .
Parker was born in Louisiana and grew up in Los Angeles . He saw performances by jazz and blues greats like Count Basie , Duke Ellington , Lionel Hampton , T-Bone Walker , Lowell Fulson and Johnny Guitar Watson , and he decided to pursue a career as a blues musician.
Bobby Parker played guitar in the 1950s with Otis Williams and the Charms , Bo Diddley , Paul "Hucklebuck" Williams, Sam Cooke and the Everly Brothers, among others . In 1961 he moved to Washington, DC , where he began a solo career.
In the same year Parker had a hit with Watch Your Step , which was later published by the Spencer Davis Group , Santana and Dr. Feelgood was re-imported. After international success in the 1960s, things got a little quieter around Bobby Parker in the 1970s and 1980s. He performed mainly in the Washington area.
In the 1990s, Parker recorded his first albums, Bent Out of Shape (1993) and Shine Me Up (1995). During his appearances and tours he mainly plays his own pieces.
Web links
- Literature by and about Bobby Parker in the catalog of the German National Library
- Bobby Parker website (English)
- Biography at Allmusic Guide (English)
- Official video biography with two songs from 1958 and 1968 (English)
Individual evidence
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Parker, Bobby |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | American blues guitarist, singer, and songwriter |
| DATE OF BIRTH | August 31, 1937 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Lafayette , Louisiana |
| DATE OF DEATH | October 31, 2013 |
| Place of death | Bowie , Maryland |