Daily Dose Of Jazz…

Frank Parker was born on August 18, 1919 in New Orleans, Louisiana and began drumming at the start of his career in show business at the age of 5. He gained experience playing with various bands in New Orleans, including The Gin Bandits. He performed as a member of Kid Clayton’s band before relocating to Los Angeles, California. There he hooked up with Teddy Buckner at the Beverly Caverns and the Johnny Otis Band.

Returning home in 1949, Parker played alongside such notables as Fats Domino, Joe Phillips, Roy “Good Rocking” Brown, and Paul Gayten. Nearly ten years later he went on the road with Ray Charles, which was followed up by a spot with the Louis Jordan Band. In 1959 he was back in Los Angeles working with Lou Rawls among others.

By 1970, Parker was working once more on Bourbon Street with Thomas Jefferson, George Finola, Papa French, Santo Pecora, and Wallace Davenport. During his later years, he performed with Laverne Smith at Marriot and Fairmont hotels, toured with One Mo’ Time in 1979, a stage hit about black vaudeville in the early days of jazz. A year later he was playing drums for Percy Humphrey and the Preservation Hall Band.

He ultimately retired in 1990 after suffering a stroke. Just a few months after The Louisiana Jazz Federation presented him with a lifetime achievement award, drummer Frank Parker died on January 23, 2001 in his hometown.

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