Knocky Parker

Knocky Parker (August 8, 1918, Palmer, Ellis Co., Texas - September 3, 1986, Los Angeles), born John William Parker, II, was an American jazz pianist. He played primarily in the styles of ragtime and Dixieland jazz.

Parker played in Western Swing bands such as The Wanderers (1935) and the Light Crust Doughboys (1937-39) before serving in the military during World War II. After the war he worked with Zutty Singleton and Albert Nicholas, then earned a Ph.D in English and taught at Kentucky Wesleyan College and the University of South Florida. Alongside this he worked with Doc Evans, Omer Simeon, and Tony Parenti, among others, and as a solo artist. Early in the 1960s he recorded every Scott Joplin rag, one of the first to do so. He recorded extensively, for the labels Texstar, Paradox, GHB, London, Audiophile, Jazzology, and Euphonic.

Knocky Parker was a natural musician and played by ear. At the age of 4, he learned to play ragtime from musician, Blind Lemon. In 1984, he was nominated for a grammy with Big Joe Turner for " Blues : "Big Joe Turner With Knocky Parker and His Houserockers."