After began researching his musical and cultural roots in southeast Georgia, he found a treasure trove of material in the Library of Congress鈥� American Folklife Center. The library had preserved early field recordings of homesteaders in the Okefenokee Swamp region, where Parks remembers camping and exploring as a kid.
鈥淚n 1945, somebody went up there [to the Okefenokee] with equipment borrowed from the Library of Congress, and they recorded them making the music that they make,鈥� the writer, guitarist and vocalist told St. Louis on the Air.
For Parks, the archive drove home 鈥渢he importance of looking at where you grew up, where you came from, or where your ancestors came from, and trying to see how that influenced the way you are.鈥�
He added: 鈥淚t鈥檚 humbling in a certain sense. I never liked country music, but yet I was able to play it with a certain ease. And it just came naturally to me, and I started asking, 鈥榃ell, why is that?鈥欌��
Parks isn鈥檛 just finding answers as he learns more about his roots; he鈥檚 also been busy transforming the new knowledge into fresh musical expressions. In August 2020, the Library of Congress featured several of Parks鈥� research-based rearrangements and innovations in .
That鈥檚 been just one highlight of a productive year for the musician, who moved from the New York City area to the St. Louis suburbs last spring.
Parks credits his move to 鈥減eaceful鈥� Webster Groves with fueling his creativity 鈥� and said he is excited to be part of St. Louis鈥� vibrant music scene.
It鈥檚 also been a bittersweet adjustment in certain ways. Parks had long planned to eventually move to St. Louis and form a band with his lifelong friend . Like Parks, Townsend grew up in Jacksonville, Florida. (Adding to the local ties, Parks鈥� wife, Margo, grew up in Webster Groves.)
But in October 2019, Townsend . He was diagnosed with it not long after battling his way back from being shot in an attempted carjacking the year before.
Despite the tragic loss of his friend, Parks decided to make good on his plan anyway. Last spring, the Parkses made their move, fueled by a desire to help care for family during the COVID-19 crisis.
On Tuesday鈥檚 talk show, Parks joined host Sarah Fenske as he looked toward in the Central West End. He discussed his recent project with the Library of Congress as well as his forthcoming album, which will be titled 鈥淲alter Parks and the Unlawful Assembly.鈥�
In preparing for our segment with musician about his exploration of early music in the Okefenokee Swamp, producer couldn't help but do a bit of clogging while listening to his song "Catfish." She added a track of percussive dance, just for fun. 馃獣馃幎
— St. Louis on the Air (@STLonAir)
Related Event
What:
When: 7:30 p.m. Thursday
Where: The Blue Strawberry and virtually (
鈥�鈥� brings you the stories of St. Louis and the people who live, work and create in our region. The show is hosted by and produced by , , and . The audio engineer is .
