Last updated: 6 hours ago
Jamaican singer Ken Parker was born in 1948, growing up in Savanna-la-Mar in the Westmoreland Parish area of Jamaica, where his father was a preacher. Parker was exposed early to the effects of gospel music, and he drew on gospel inflections in his vocals throughout his whole career. His first group was the Blues Benders, formed in 1965, but by 1967 he was a solo act, recording sides for most of the big Jamaican producers of the day, including Coxsone Dodd ("My Whole World Is Falling Down" was recorded at <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Studio+One%22">Studio One</a> and was a huge hit on the island in 1969), <a href="spotify:artist:5xMbd0qOdrycmi9KQZMmQF">Duke Reid</a> ("True, True, True," one of Parker's finest sides, was recorded at Treasure Isle, as was "Jimmy Brown"), <a href="spotify:artist:79gBZXBZwJs2cBerjhgAxI">Bunny Lee</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:1UxYrIRzYsrxv8EYrmoRXA">Rupie Edwards</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:1qerVYQkyneFNgZfMKH6HX">Byron Lee</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:4ekhrcrW3PAAoplC9IxnBx">Joe Gibbs</a>, and <a href="spotify:artist:3mSM2ALYf2unI6Hk6NGBmD">Lloyd Charmers</a> (Parker recorded a fine version of <a href="spotify:artist:2AV6XDIs32ofIJhkkDevjm">Curtis Mayfield</a>'s "Queen Majesty" for <a href="spotify:artist:2QVbvVW2o5NkMaa1eHG5HO">Charmers</a>). In time, Parker became somewhat disillusioned with the workings of the Jamaican music scene and relocated to the U.K., where he ran his own label and production company. He was living in Florida in the United States when he died on February 22, 2025, one day short of his 77th birthday. ~ Steve Leggett, Rovi
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