Blues guitar legend Bobby Parker - whose seminal late 50's -early 60's singles "Watch Your Step", "Blues Get Off My Shoulder" and "Steal Your Heart Away" have influenced rock royalty ranging from The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Eric Clapton, Deep Purple, Carlos Santana, The Allman Brothers, Fleetwood Mac's Peter Green, Prince and Robin Trower - has announced the first round of U.S. tour dates.Best-known for his 1961 song, "Watch Your Step", a single for the V-Tone Records label that became a hit on British and U.S. R&B charts, Parker has a pedigree few have matched throughout the entire history of blues and rock the past half century.
From recording and touring as lead guitarist with the late Bo Diddley; also being part of the bands of Chuck Berry, Little Richard and Fats Domino in the 1950's,to his highly influential solo sides, his brilliance as a performer and songwriter inspired none other than John Lennon to exclaim, "The best stuff I ever heard is by a bloke called Bobby Parker.”
In fact it was Lennon who lifted the "Watch Your Step" riff, using it as the inspiration for The Beatles classics "I Feel Fine" and "Day Tripper". Later on Jimmy Page would take the same riff wholesale for the basis of "Moby Dick", whilst Deep Purple featured it in "Rat Bat Blue" on their 1972 album 'Who Do We Think We Are'. Robert Plant has cited 1958's "Blues Get Off My Shoulder" as being the impetus for him becoming a singer. Guitar superstar Santana has said of Parker, "He's one of the few remaining guitarists on this planet who can pierce your heart and soothe your soul. He inspired me to play guitar." Blues rock guitar titan Joe Bonamassa recorded a cover of "Steal Your Heart Away", taking it to both the UK and U.S. Top 40 as part of his just released 'Black Rock' album.
The Washington D.C. based Parker, who is currently in the process of recording the long awaited successor to 1995's 'Shine Me Up', most recently was featured on the 2006 DVD 'Carlos Santana Presents : Blues At Montreux 2004' alongside Santana, Buddy Guy and Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown.
Bobby Parker Festival Tour Dates :
* Blues By The Sea Blues Festival
Charleston South Carolina
Saturday, May 8 at 7:00pm
* Chesapeake Bay Blues Festival
Sandy Point State Park, Annapolis, Maryland
Sunday, May 23 at 7:00pm
* The Soul Congressional Blues Festival
Washington DC
Wednesday, May 26 at 7:00pm
* The Chicago Blues Festival
Grant Park
Saturday, June 12 at 7:00pm
For more info and more dates go to Bobby Parker's Official Facebook fan page at this location.
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