Department of Music Lecture: Walter Parks, guitarist, composer, storyteller based in St Louis
Title
"The Story of Finding Style by Honoring Roots– An Art's Journey From Hometown to The World Stage"
About
Performer, historian and writer Walter Parks shares the bounty of his Library of Congress-archived research on three genres of music from Southeast Georgia’s Okefinokee Swamp – hymns, hollers and reels. This entertaining and educational workshop with performance examples and relevant stories also encompasses originals, reimagined Southern U.S. spirituals and Richie Havens classics. Walter will discuss how researching the art, music, and culture of the area from which an artist comes can inform the artist's style.
Walter toured and recorded the world over with Woodstock legend Richie Havens – performing at New York’s Carnegie Hall and Madison Square Garden and at The Glastonbury Festival in England. In 2014, Walter was the sole accompanist of Judy Collins at her Lincoln Center tribute to Pete Seeger. Walter is the leader of two Americana roots groups – Swamp Cabbage (electric-folk/rock) and The Unlawful Assembly (reimagined spirituals).
Biography
Walter Parks is both entertaining and educational, presenting historic music, original music, and stories that preface songs in a contemporary way. Walter toggles between hollers, spirituals, Appalachian reels, Delta blues, work songs, swamp jazz, and even bits of opera, all delivered with Walter’s northeast Florida swampy feel. At every show, Walter tributes Woodstock legend Richie Havens, with whom he served as sideman for 10 years, performing worldwide in Madison Square Garden, The Glastonbury Festival, and Carnegie Hall, amongst other prestigious venues. Walter was recently invited by The Library of Congress/American Folklife Collection to archive his research work on the music made in southeast Georgia’s Okefinokee Swamp. Now based out of St. Louis, Walter has recently co-written with Stan Lynch, former Tom Petty drummer, and has performed at various venues with R&B drum legend Bernard Purdie and at Lincoln Center with Judy Collins. Walter tours solo, with his trio Swamp Cabbage and with The Unlawful Assembly, a group that reimagines historic spirituals, propelled by drummer Steven Williams and female vocalist Ada Dyer, who’s currently on the Bruce Springsteen world tour. Walter was a founding member of The Nudes, a popular folk duo, with cellist Stephanie Winters.