KENNY PARKER BAND

The Band

Kenny Parker

Guitar/Writer

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In the mid-'90s, Detroit blues guitarist and songwriter Kenny Parker released his debut album for the London-based JSP Records, Raise the Dead. Parker's blues education began with the Beatles in the early 1960s, but it wasn't long before he discovered the roots of their music. Parker grew up in Albion, Michigan and began playing in his first band, the Esquires, at 14. He begin listening to Albert King and B.B. King in high school via the local record store, and he took his inspiration from them. He graduated from Eastern Michigan University in 1976 and took a job in a Cadillac factory while looking around for the right opportunities to play blues at night. He began working with a paragon of the Detroit scene, Mr. Bo (Louis Bo Collins), and later joined the Butler Twins.

While Parker toured Europe with the Butler Twins, JSP founder John Stedman heard him and decided to sign him up for his own recording. The Butler Twins accompany Parker on his debut recording, and he's also backed by harp master Darrell Nulisch, best known for his work with Anson Funderburgh and the Rockets. The Butler Twins and Nulisch contribute vocals on Parker's Raise the Dead, and since Parker doesn't consider himself a singer, his guitar playing takes center stage.

by Richard Skelly From All Music.com

Dan Devins

Vocals/Harmonica

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Singer & harmonica player Dan Devins got his blues career started sitting in at Chrissy's Lounge, a now-long defunct blues bar in Mt Clemens, Michigan back in the late 1980's. They featured a weekly jam session led by a true Detroit Bluesman, the late Kenny Miller. With Kenny's encouragement, Dan started his own group, The Back Door Blues Band. After nearly 25 years with BDBB, with several side projects along the way

Dan has really found a home with the well-respected blues guitarist and song writer, Kenny Parker, whom along with blues and rock legend Jim McCarty has proven to be an incendiary combination. They have performed throughout Michigan and Ontario and continue to delight audiences wherever they perform!

     RJ Spangler

Dave Marcaccio

Drums

Dave Marcaccio began playing drums professionally in the Detroit area in his early teens. His attention to the groove has always kept him busy with many great Detroit-based artists and groups including the Kenny Parker Band, blues vocalist Thornetta Davis, Detroit guitar legend Jim McCarty, LL7 Latin Jazz and The Millionaires

01. I've Got My Eye on You
02. Baby Come Back to Me
03. Blind and Paralyzed
04. Bye Bye Baby (Live)
05. Hellfire
06. Goin' in Circles
07. Dance with Me
08. I'm Missing You
09. And Then We Danced
10. Half Crazy
11. Backup Plan
12. Hard Times (Live)

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Jim McCarty 

Guitar

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Jim McCarty broke onto the music scene as guitarist for “Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels” in 1964 and from ‘64 thru ‘66 they charted with the songs “Jenny Take A Ride” (#4), “Devil With A Blue Dress On” (#2) and “Sock It To Me” (#4). When Mitch Ryder decided that he wanted to turn the group into a Las Vegas act, McCarty knew it was time for a change.

Jim moved on to join up with Corry Siegal and the “Siegal Schwall Blues Band” and, on a trip to the west coast, he met Buddy Miles. Buddy was coming off the “Electric Flag” and putting his own band together and Buddy asked Jim to join the “Buddy Miles Express”. McCarty accepted because he wanted to work with the “Big Sound” of a horn section. Jim recorded two albums with the “Buddy Miles Express”, the latter being produced by Jimi Hendrix.

Jimi Hendrix was around quite a bit and he was talking to Buddy about putting a band together. “It was a little intimidating”, McCarty remembers, “doing guitar overdubs with Hendrix in the studio but he was a “Mitch Ryder and Detroit Wheels” fan so it was cool.” Jim had the chance to play with Hendrix on quite a few occasions with the most memorable being in L.A. with players that included Jimi Hendrix, Jack Bruce, John McLaughlin, Mitch Mitchell, Buddy Miles and Jim!

With the end of The Vanilla Fudge in late ‘69 Jim was approached by Carmine and Tim to form Cactus. McCarty was heavy into Jeff Beck’s first two albums (Truth and Beck Ola) so it seemed like good timing. The band recorded three albums and broke up because of different views about the direction of the music, but the music Cactus made had a strong cult following which still exists today.

With the end of Cactus in ’72, McCarty moved back to Detroit and put the “Rockets” together with his old drummer from the “Wheels” the legendary “Johnny B-Badandek. The band cut six albums and toured constantly with artists ZZ Top, Bob Seiger, REO Speedwagon, The Who, the Cars and more. The Rockets where together for ten years but Jim was feeling a strong desire to play the kind of music that had always been close to his heart, the Blues. With the end of the “Rockets” Jim joined the “Detroit Blues Band”. Jim stayed with the “Detroit Blues Band” for eight years and they ultimately recorded four CD’s.

New things were on the horizon for Jim when a new blues club called the Memphis Smoke opened. They asked Jim to put together a house band and Jim saw this as an opportunity to put together a band with musicians of his choice. The band that resulted was named “Mystery Train” and are still together today with four CD’s to their credit. Jim is at home with Mystery Train playing his brand of blues and rock & roll.

​From the website: CactusRocks.net

Mike Marshall

Bass

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Mike Marshall is a Detroit bassist who has a history that goes back to the 60’s.Mike and singer/harp player Garfield Angove played with many Chicago blues greats when they would come to Detroit in the ‘70s and has played with many Detroit artists, such as Rob Tyner of The MC5, The Mutants. In 1996 Mike joined with longtime friend Kenny Parker to record Kenny’s “Raise The Dead” for JSP Records. In the 2000’s Mike played in RJ’s(Spangler) Rhythm Rockers backing as singer /Pianist Joe Weaver, guitarist Johnny Bassett, singer Alberta Adams and the Motor City Pioneers featuring Kenny Martin and Stanley Mitchell. In 2009 Mike appeared at the Apollo Theater with Alberta Adams who first performed there in 1959 with Dizzy Gillespie.    Mike and Kenny have been good friends since 1970.