Junior Parker
| Junior Parker | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Herman Parker, Jr. |
| Also known as | Little Junior Parker Mr Blues |
| Born |
March 27, 1932 Near Bobo, Coahoma County, Mississippi, United States |
| Died | November 18, 1971 (aged 39) Blue Island, Illinois, United States |
| Genres | Blues, electric blues, gospel, Memphis blues, rock and roll, rockabilly |
| Occupation(s) | Musician |
| Instruments | Vocals, harmonica |
| Years active | 1951–71 |
| Labels | Sun, Modern, Capitol |
| Associated acts | The Blue Flames, Pat Hare, Ike Turner |
Herman "Junior" Parker (March 27, 1932 – November 18, 1971) was an American Memphis blues singer and musician. He is best remembered for his unique voice, which has been described as "honeyed" and "velvet-smooth". He was posthumously inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 2001.
One music journalist noted, "For years Junior Parker deserted downhome harmonica blues for uptown blues-soul music".
There is some disagreement over the details of Parker's birth, but most reliable sources now indicate that he was born in March 1932 at Eastover Plantation near Bobo, Coahoma County, Mississippi. He moved with his mother to West Memphis, Arkansas, during the 1940s. Other birth dates in 1927 or 1932 have been suggested, and some research suggests that his name at birth was registered as Herbert Parker.
He sang in gospel groups as a child and, beginning in his teenage years, played on various blues circuits. His biggest influence as a harmonica player was Sonny Boy Williamson, with whom he worked before moving on to work for Howlin' Wolf in 1949. Around 1950 he was a member of an ad hoc Memphis 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. Parker was discovered in 1952 by Ike Turner, who signed him to Modern Records, which released one single, "You're My Angel." This brought him to the attention of Sam Phillips, and he and his band signed with Sun Records in 1953. There they produced three successful songs: "Feelin' Good" (which reached number 5 on the US Billboard R&B chart), "Love My Baby," and "Mystery Train", a cover version of which was recorded by Elvis Presley. For Presley's version of "Mystery Train", Scotty Moore borrowed the guitar riff from Parker's "Love My Baby", played by Pat Hare. "Love My Baby" and "Mystery Train" are considered important contributions to the rockabilly genre.
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