(Herman "Junior" Parker)
DISCOGRAPHY 1969-2026 (17CD)
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 began performing with a
coalition of performers in Memphis known the Beale Streeters, which
included Bobby "Blue" Bland and B.B. King.
In 1951, Parker formed his own band, the Blue Flames, with the guitarist
Pat Hare. In 1952, Parker was discovered by talent scout Ike Turner for
Modern Records. Turner recorded his first release, "You're My Angel"/"Bad
Women, Bad Whiskey," with Turner playing piano and Matt "Guitar" Murphy on
guitar. This record 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" became rockabilly standards....
(Wikipedia)