C. Parker Dean

Parker in 2017

Charles Parker Dean was born in the hamlet of Harmony, near Camden, Nova Scotia in 1943. (Now called Harmony Ridge) At the age of fourteen he began to learn the guitar, and enjoyed playing and singing country music. In March of 1963 Parker left home and struck it out on his own, settling in Brantford, ON. On December 7^th 1963 he married to Gail, and they began a family, first with Joanne in 1964, and Robbie a couple years later.

Parker drove a milk truck for many years prior to working at Brant Union Floorcraft where he was a warehouse clerk. By 1964 he and his family at 334 Chatham Street, and a year later they had moved to 48 Grey Street where Parker got a job as a painter at Massey-Fergusson Ltd; he was employed there as the same time as Gary Austin was. 

In 1968 Parker bought his first brand new electric guitar from Gerry Risser at Counterpoint Sound. It was a red model manufactured by Kent. He also bought a Fender deluxe reverb amp to ensure that his audience heard his playing. As well, Parker took guitar lessons from Gerry to perfect his playing and technique. Over the years he also bought a Fender Malibu Acoustic and a 1972 solid maple Fender Telecaster. Four years later he traded that particular guitar for a 1973 Gibson Hummingbird acoustic.    

In 1970 he joined ‘The White Knights,’ fronted by Dave Eagleton, a pedal steel and flattop rhythm guitar player. Parker sang in the band and also played rhythm guitar. The band was rounded out with Wendall Newell on the Spanish guitar, Ross Black on bass, and Bob Sears on drums.  Dave’s wife Mary designed their white suits with blue satin sewn on the pocket flaps which they performed in. They played on the stage under a special black light so that they almost glowed. The White Knights played local dances at the Burford Concert Hall, the Brantford Legion Branches, and similar watering holes.

In early summer of 1974 Jim Allison's band ‘The Canadian Rhythmaires’ disintegrated, and so the band’s former front-man reached out to Parker, who had been playing the Brantford scene with great zeal. The idea of creating a record label had been planted by Fred McKenna but Jim needed a sighted chap for a partner. Over some root-beer and burgers he and Parker came up with a concrete idea of what a record label could be and what it should offer. At this time Jim introduced Parker to David Edward ‘Ted’ Brown, who was very interested in writing and singing material for the new label.  

The label was launched in May 1975 with single projects by Jim’s own Happy Tracks band and Dug Bond and the Maple Street Show Band. At the Mercey Brothers studio in Elmira both Parker and Jim studied what producers/engineers Rob Asselstine and Paul David Mercey did in the studio, and then used that knowledge when they co-produced Doug Bond’s solo album, and the debut singles by both Tom Destry and Desert Fox later that summer.

In December of 1975 Jim decided to switch studios on the advice of Fred McKenna and Johnny Burke, and booked time at Thunder Sound Studios in Toronto. Here he would record Tommy Jacobs, Charlie Louvin and the debut single by Parker Dean. (The label's 12th act) The White Knights weren’t interested in cutting any records, so Parker decided to go solo, writing both sides of his record. He also had two more songs for a possible follow-up single; ‘Don't walk away and leave me lonely/Autumn Thoughts.’

On January 31^st 1976 Parker and the boys went into Thunder Sound to record his debut single. Parker sang and played rhythm guitar, Wayne Heimbecker played the lead guitar, Jack Lewis played the bass, Jim VanSickle played the drums, and Bob Lucier from Eastwind played the pedal steel guitar. All but Bob sang the background vocals. Parker’s two cuts were actually recorded at the end of Charlie Louvin’s second reel.  The record was engineered by Bill Seddon.

 The New Year would see some changes for Parker; he decided to learn to play the pedal steel guitar, and to go out on his own with a new backing band he called ‘Parker's Country Monopoly.’  The band consisted of Parker singing and played rhythm guitar, Phil Stafford on drums, and Kelly McCormick on bass. Pedal Steel Guitar player Gene McGrath was with the band for six months. (Gene had played with Terry Sumsion and the Moonlighters in the late sixties) Over the two years the band was up and running the lead guitar players included Wes Vandyke (formerly with Ken Johnson & The Country Squires), George Hall and Jim Allison.  Parker had the band name mounted on a real Monopoly board and attached to Phil’s drum kit.

During March of 1976 Parker Dean’s debut single was issued, “I like Beer Drinking Songs and Whisky Drinking Women/Reasons That I Love You,” with the label number TBR 1010. Jim sent copies of the single to radio stations all across Canada. The record got considerable airplay at three stations; CIBQ 1340 AM in Brooks, Alberta, CKPC 1380 AM in Brantford, and CKCL 600 AM in Truro, NS, because Parker’s mother kept requesting it. Parker sold many copies from the stage when his band played live, and he also received modest royalty cheques for the airplay he was given.  

Charlie Louvin’s own bass player, Tim Stacey, was impressed with his bosses recording session, and in April 1976 dropped in at Jim and Marlene’s house in Burford to talk about doing some solo recording at Thunder Sound. It was here that Jim played Tim Parker’s single, and he immediately wanted to cover it. Another song he loved was Fred McKenna’s ‘Ten Miles From Home.’ Tim became the nineteenth artist signed to Thunderbird.

Later that summer, Jim played Tim Stacey’s version of Parker’s song for the man himself. He was surprised that Jim was able to keep it a secret until that moment. Unfortunately Tim didn’t release the music commercially.   

Once Parker was comfortable playing his pedal steel guitar, Jim volunteered his services at a benefit show over 1977 put on by Jan Stevens, who was also just getting settled in with her own guitar playing. It wasn’t too long after this gig that Jan left the label, and Parker wondered what his future held with Brantford and country music.

At the end of August 1978 Parker and his family left Brantford and relocated to Nanaimo, BC, wanting to be there in time for their children to start the school year. Parker took on a job as a truck driver. He and Jim Allison left their partnership on good terms. Parker said that Jim was a personable guy, always with a smile on his face. However, if the big man had something to say, he didn’t hold back and would let his true feelings be known. 

The last time Parker was in Brantford was in 1987, and this was also the last time he saw Jim Allison alive. As of June 2018 Parker and his family continue to live in Nanaimo, BC. He currently owns two pedal steel guitars and the ’73 Gibson Hummingbird acoustic.

Parker got in touch with me this past June 2018 and it's been great to get all caught up with his life. We'll see what he says about the book I wrote that includes a fictionalized character based on him.

Parker Dean in his younger days