STEVE PARKS' Music

     

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   Thomasson Tenor Parks & Driver

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 I play a high energy acoustic mix of traditional American music on a variety of instruments- mandolin, mountain dulcimer, guitar, tenor guitar and whatever I happen to pick up at the moment. My music tends to blur the lines between traditional mountain music, jug band, blues, bluegrass and western swing, featuring mostly songs with an upbeat attitude. Big fun!

 Here are a few samples:
 

 Parks & Driver, with master fingerstyle blues guitarist/songwriter Bob Driver and fine upright bass player Neil Knicely is my main band these days. Check out our page on this site!

I'm available for festivals, clubs, parties, weddings (hey, I even know the Wedding March on the dulcimer), schools and anywhere you need some acoustic music.

 Here in the Harrisonburg, Virginia, area we have a great community of old-time, blues and bluegrass musicians who work together often. If you need an old-time band for your event, give a call. we can usually arrange just what you need
 

Bio

Starting to play at age fourteen, by eighteen I was running around the country doing street music and open stages, incessantly butting my way into jams to play with and learn from others. After hiding out in Crested Butte, Colorado for six years, my passion for Southern Appalachian mountain music brought me to the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia in 1983, where I appear to have settled for good.

Over the years I've worked regularly as a solo performer and in different bands including

  • The Buzzard Rock Bayou Boys (1994-2000)
  • The Shenandoah Valley Mandolin Orchestra (1988-96)
  • early blues and jazz with the Belzona Bluzz Revue (1986-89)
  • The Green Island Pickers with master fiddler Edd Michael (1983, 1985-87)
  • The Fountain City Frogstranglers-playing hippie-style old time (1982-85),

Recordings
 Three of these crews have made recordings. Some of them are still available!
  •  Blue Ghosts and Yodel Croaks- Parks, Driver and Bass (2003) Blues, regtime, swing and originals; Progressive medicine show music. CD- $15

 

  • Songs of Love, Death and Food - Buzzard Rock Bayou Boys (1998) A lively mix of cajun, western swing and old-time songs and tunes. CD only- $15

 

  • Carrion On- Buzzard Rock Bayou Boys (1996) A fun recording that we let go out of print

 

  • Shendo Mandos- Shenandoah Valley Mandolin Orchestra (1993) Lovely arrangements of turn-of-the-last-century pop tunes, old dance numbers and show tunes by a fifteen piece mandolin orchestra we had in Harrisonburg. Cassette only- $8

 

  • How Do You Do It That Way- Belzona Bluzz Revue (1989) Early blues and jazz featuring great singing by Deborah Crae, Bob Driver on finger style guitar, Two-Gun Terry on bass and fiddle and yours truly on mandolin. Wonderful music, mediocre sound quality. Cassette only- $8

Awards
 Although sometimes it seems the whole notion of musical competition is rather silly, the contests at festivals are fun and worth bragging about. Here are some various accomplishments:
 I'm actually one of the few to be awarded first place in both the Old-Time Band competition at the Galax, VA, Fiddler's Convention (with Edd Michael and the Green Island Pickers, 1986) and first place Non-Traditional String Band at the Appalachian String Band Festival at Clifftop, W VA (with Cuttin' Up Gumby, 1997).

 

Cuttin' Up Gumby 2001

 

Me in my lucky t-shirt

 Since 1997, occasional band Cuttin' Up Gumby has won first place twice, along with fourth and fifth place in the Non-Traditional String Band contest at Clifftop. We're aiming for second and third for the complete collection of awards. Cuttin' Up Gumby consists of Steve Fishman and Fred Levine from Chapel Hill, Terry Newman, Mike Williams and myself from Harrisonburg, Jeff Wagner from Richmond Va. and Charlie Shaw of Brooklyn, NY. Michael Kovic from Floyd,VA, and Two-Gun Terry from Harrisonburg have been known to pitch in.

 

  • There's a pile of ribbons from dulcimer contests around the house- three blue ones from Mt. Airy, one from Fiddler's Grove, just about everything but first (lots of second and third) from Galax, lots of yellow, red, white and brown ones from all over. What fun.

GUMBY UPDATE! 8/2/01

Well, we did it again- Cuttin' up Gumby took first place at Clifftop this year, playing a high-energy "Swing Low Sweet Chariot", a pretty version of "Sweet Sue"and a rousing "Pink Flamingos", featuring the fabulous Flamingo Dancers! New members include Mike Williams on fiddle and Jeff Wagner on tenor guitar.

Theater
  •  My most recent theater work has been as a cast member/musician in Harry Chapin's Cotton Patch Gospel with the Blue Ridge Theater Festival in Harrisonburg, with additional performances in Caux, Switzerland.
  • In 1992, Jim Scott, Paul Rosen and I co-wrote and performed an original score for A Lie of the Mind by Sam Shepard at James Madison University.
  • Way back in 1984 I played Rodas in Royal Hunt of the Sun.
  • I've also worked as a musician with the Thompson and Trammel Dance Company.

 

Feel free to contact me at:

swparks@northriver.coop

 (540) 867-0225

10001 Rooster Ridge Ln.

Dayton, VA 22821

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