Bobby Parker (guitarist)
| Bobby Parker | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Robert Lee Parker |
| Also known as | Bobby Parks |
| Born |
August 31, 1937 Lafayette, Louisiana, U.S. |
| Died | October 31, 2013 (aged 76) Bowie, Maryland, U.S. |
| Genres | Blues, blues rock |
| Occupation(s) | Guitarist, singer, songwriter |
| Years active | 1950s–2013 |
| Labels | Vee-Jay, Amanda, V-Tone, Sabu, Blue Horizon, Black Top |
| Associated acts | Paul Williams |
Robert Lee "Bobby" Parker (August 31, 1937 – October 31, 2013) was an American blues-rock guitarist, singer and songwriter. He is best known for his 1961 song "Watch Your Step", a single for the V-Tone record label which reached the Billboard Hot 100; the song was performed by, and influenced, the Beatles among others.
Born in Lafayette, Louisiana, but raised in Los Angeles, California, Parker first aspired to a career in entertainment at a young age. By the 1950s, Parker had started working on electric guitar with several blues and R&B bands of the time, with his first stint being with Otis Williams and the Charms. Over the next few years, he also played lead guitar with Bo Diddley (including an appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show), toured with Paul Williams, Sam Cooke, Jackie Wilson, LaVern Baker, Clyde McPhatter, and the Everly Brothers. He first recorded, as Bobby Parks, with the Paul Williams band in 1956.
His first solo single, "Blues Get Off My Shoulder", was recorded in 1958, while he was still working primarily with Williams' band. The B-side, "You Got What It Takes", also written by Parker, was later recorded for Motown by Marv Johnson, but with the songwriting credited to Berry Gordy, Gwen Fuqua and Roquel Davis. Parker told the Forgotten Hits newsletter in 2008:
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