Ian Parker (keyboardist)
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Ian Parker (born 26 November 1953) is a Scottish keyboardist, vocalist, composer, DJ and producer. Ian has played keyboards with
The Hollies The Hollies are an English rock and pop band formed in Manchester in 1962. One of the leading British groups of the 1960s and into the mid-1970s, they are known for their distinctive three-part vocal harmony style. Singer Allan Clarke and ...
since 1991 and with
Clannad Clannad () were an Irish band formed in 1970 in Gweedore, County Donegal, by siblings , and (Moya) (in English, Brennan) and their twin uncles Noel and (Duggan). They have adopted various musical styles throughout their history. Beginn ...
from 1988 to 2016, extensively touring the world and recording with both bands. He has also played with
Elkie Brooks Elkie Brooks (born Elaine Bookbinder; 25 February 1945) is an English Rock music, rock, blues and jazz singer. She was a vocalist with the bands Dada and Vinegar Joe (band), Vinegar Joe, and later became a solo artist. She gained her biggest su ...
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Joan Armatrading Joan Anita Barbara Armatrading (, born 9 December 1950) is an English singer-songwriter and guitarist. Her first major commercial success came with her third and fourth albums, '' Joan Armatrading'' (1976) and '' Show Some Emotion'' (1977), a ...
,
Killing Joke Killing Joke were an English rock music, rock band formed in Notting Hill, London, in 1979 by Jaz Coleman (vocals, keyboards), Paul Ferguson (drums), Geordie Walker (guitar) and Youth (musician), Youth (bass). Their first album, ''Killing Joke ...
,
Tom Robinson Band Tom Robinson Band (TRB) are a British Rock music, rock band, established in 1976 by singer, songwriter and bassist Tom Robinson. The band's debut single "2-4-6-8 Motorway" was a top five hit on the UK Singles Chart in 1977, and their third sin ...
,
Three Degrees The Three Degrees are an American female vocal group formed circa 1963 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Although 12 women have been members over the years, the group has always been a trio. The current line-up consists of Helen Scott, Valerie Ho ...
,
Moya Brennan Moya Brennan (born Máire Philomena Ní Bhraonáin on 4 August 1952), also known as Máire Brennan, is an Irish folk singer, songwriter, harpist, and philanthropist. She is the sister of the musical artist known as Enya. She began performing pr ...
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, Killer B's,
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, the Nolans, Wall Street Crash, and the Platters, and has been Musical Director for
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and the Chi-Lites.


Early life

Ian Parker was born on 26 November 1953 in the coastal town of
Irvine, Ayrshire Irvine ( ;
; ) is a town and former royal burgh on th ...
to David and Anne Parker. He showed a natural ability to play the piano from a very early age and started piano lessons when he was seven. His early influences were
The Beatles The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960. The core lineup of the band comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are widely regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatle ...
,
The Rolling Stones The Rolling Stones are an English Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1962. Active for over six decades, they are one of the most popular, influential, and enduring bands of the Album era, rock era. In the early 1960s, the band pione ...
,
Stax Stax can refer to: * StAX, (Computer Programming) Streaming API for reading and writing XML in Java * Stax Ltd, a Japanese brand of electrostatic headphones * Stax Records Stax Records is an American record company, originally based in Memphis, ...
and Atlantic Soul. In 1969 he started playing with the Ravenspark Academy school rock band "Timor Mortis" performing covers of such artistes as
Deep Purple Deep Purple are an English rock band formed in London in 1968. They are considered to be among the pioneers of heavy metal music, heavy metal and modern hard rock, although their musical style has varied throughout their career. Originally for ...
,
Cream Cream is a dairy product composed of the higher-fat layer skimmed from the top of milk before homogenization. In un-homogenized milk, the fat, which is less dense, eventually rises to the top. In the industrial production of cream, this proces ...
and
Black Sabbath Black Sabbath are an English rock band formed in Birmingham in 1968 by guitarist Tony Iommi, drummer Bill Ward (musician), Bill Ward, bassist Geezer Butler, and vocalist Ozzy Osbourne. After adopting the Black Sabbath name in 1969 (the band ...
. Other members of the band were Andy Baird vocals, Alan Aitken guitar, Davie Stafford bass and Alistair 'Mub' McKinnon drums. This led to him forming a gigging band, which was originally called 'Tight Express' and also had Alan Aitken and Mub McKinnon as its members. This band later expanded to a four-piece with Leo Bigham joining on bass and vocals and became 'The Duck', playing clubs and pubs. The line up now was Ian Parker keyboards and vocals, Alan Aitken guitar, Mub McKinnon drums, and Leo Bigham bass and vocals. Later when Ian left to move to London, Aitken, Bigham and McKinnon formed the band Joe Lethal. He attended the
Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (), formerly the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama () is a conservatoire of dance, drama, music, production, and film in Glasgow, Scotland. It is a member of the Federation of Drama Schools. Founde ...
in Glasgow between 1972 and 1975 and obtained D.R.S.A.M. qualifications. He then moved down to London where he played with the house band at the
Hammersmith Palais The Hammersmith Palais de Danse, in its last years simply named Hammersmith Palais, was a dance hall and entertainment venue in Hammersmith, London, England that operated from 1919 until 2007. It was the first ''palais de danse'' to be built ...
. This led to him joining the
Tom Robinson Band Tom Robinson Band (TRB) are a British Rock music, rock band, established in 1976 by singer, songwriter and bassist Tom Robinson. The band's debut single "2-4-6-8 Motorway" was a top five hit on the UK Singles Chart in 1977, and their third sin ...
where he was a member 1979–81. He appears on the album ''
TRB Two ''TRB Two'' – also known as ''TRB2'' – is the second studio album by Tom Robinson Band. It was recorded days after the original drummer, Dolphin Taylor, left the band. The TRB disbanded four months after its release. Steve Ridgeway designed th ...
'' (1979), performing lead vocals on one track ("Law and Order"). From 1983 to 1984 he played with The Three Degrees, followed by Killer B's (1985–87).


Solo work

He has written and recorded three solo albums ''Naked Dance'' (2022),''Pacifica'' (2015) and ''Count The Waves'' (1996). Pacifica is in the electronica music style, but also with vocal contributions from Peter Howarth. On ''Count The Waves'', Hollies lead guitarist
Tony Hicks Anthony Christopher Hicks (born 16 December 1945) is an English guitarist and singer who has been a member of the British rock/pop band the Hollies since 1963, and as such was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2010. His main rol ...
contributes as co-composer and with harmony vocals and guitar. Ian Parker and Ray Stiles (Hollies bass player) were the major artists behind the album ''Celtic'' (1999).


Composing and production

He has written or co-written songs featured on the recordings Ian Parker ''Naked Dance'' (2022), ''Pacifica'' (2015), Various Artists ''Celtic'' (1999), Ian Parker ''Count The Waves'' (1996), Maire –
Maire Brennan Moya Brennan (born Máire Philomena Ní Bhraonáin on 4 August 1952), also known as Máire Brennan, is an Irish folk singer, songwriter, harpist, and philanthropist. She is the sister of the musical artist known as Enya. She began performing pr ...
(1992): ''No Easy Way and Voices of the Land'',
Tom Robinson Band Tom Robinson Band (TRB) are a British Rock music, rock band, established in 1976 by singer, songwriter and bassist Tom Robinson. The band's debut single "2-4-6-8 Motorway" was a top five hit on the UK Singles Chart in 1977, and their third sin ...
''TRB Two'' (1979): "All Right All Night" and "Crossing Over The Road". He co-produced with Ray Stiles the 2006 Hollies recording Staying Power. He composed all the music for the Granada TV series Dominatrix Re-loaded (2004) and for the short film ''Dial M for Mistress'' shown at the Raindance Film Festival Soho London (2005). His TV appearances include the Jay Leno Show with Clannad, David Letterman Show with
Joan Armatrading Joan Anita Barbara Armatrading (, born 9 December 1950) is an English singer-songwriter and guitarist. Her first major commercial success came with her third and fourth albums, '' Joan Armatrading'' (1976) and '' Show Some Emotion'' (1977), a ...
,
Later with Jools Holland ''Later... with Jools Holland'' (also known as ''Even Later... with Jools Holland'', and previously known as ''Later Live... with Jools Holland'' and ''...Later with Jools Holland'') is a contemporary British music television show hosted by Jo ...
with Clannad, and
Top of the Pops ''Top of the Pops'' (''TOTP'') is a British record chart television programme, made by the BBC and broadcast weekly between 1January 1964 and 30 July 2006. The programme was the world's longest-running weekly music show. For most of its histo ...
with the
Tom Robinson Band Tom Robinson Band (TRB) are a British Rock music, rock band, established in 1976 by singer, songwriter and bassist Tom Robinson. The band's debut single "2-4-6-8 Motorway" was a top five hit on the UK Singles Chart in 1977, and their third sin ...
.


In The Hollies

He has been a permanent member of the group, touring worldwide since 1991. He has played on all their subsequent recordings including ''Hollies Live Hits'' ( 2013), ''Hollies Midas Touch'' (2010), ''Then Now Always''
The Hollies The Hollies are an English rock and pop band formed in Manchester in 1962. One of the leading British groups of the 1960s and into the mid-1970s, they are known for their distinctive three-part vocal harmony style. Singer Allan Clarke and ...
(2009), ''Staying Power'' –
The Hollies The Hollies are an English rock and pop band formed in Manchester in 1962. One of the leading British groups of the 1960s and into the mid-1970s, they are known for their distinctive three-part vocal harmony style. Singer Allan Clarke and ...
(2006), ''Peggy Sue Got Married'' (Not Fade Away) –
Buddy Holly Charles Hardin Holley (September 7, 1936 – February 3, 1959), known as Buddy Holly, was an American singer, songwriter, and musician who was a central and pioneering figure of rock and roll. He was born to a musical family in Lubbock, Texa ...
and
The Hollies The Hollies are an English rock and pop band formed in Manchester in 1962. One of the leading British groups of the 1960s and into the mid-1970s, they are known for their distinctive three-part vocal harmony style. Singer Allan Clarke and ...
(1996).


In Clannad

Ian joined Irish folk rock group Clannad in 1988 as a touring member, but has since then also contributed to many of their recordings. This includes Christ Church Cathedral (2013), ''The Essential Clannad'' (2012), ''Clannad: Live in Concert'' (2005), ''Landmarks'' (1998)(this album received a
Grammy Award The Grammy Awards, stylized as GRAMMY, and often referred to as The Grammys, are awards presented by The Recording Academy of the United States to recognize outstanding achievements in music. They are regarded by many as the most prestigious ...
), ''Lore'' (1996), ''Banba'' (1993), ''Anam'' (1991), ''Past Present''(1989).


See also

* :Songs written by Ian Parker (keyboardist)


References


External links


Ian Parker youtube channelIan Parker Facebook artist pageIan Parker websiteOfficial Hollies website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Parker, Ian 1953 births Living people Alumni of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland Scottish keyboardists People from Irvine, North Ayrshire The Hollies members