Kim Parker

Kim Parker, whose mother was Chan Parker and whose stepfathers included Charlie Parker along with Phil Woods, surfaced during the 1980s as a capable jazz singer who performed only on a part-time basis. Growing up immersed in music came naturally, given that she was eight when Charlie Parker passed away. While still in high school she performed vocally, later attended Hofstra University for a year under a drama scholarship, and earned recognition as the top jazz vocalist at the Villanova Inter-Collegiate Jazz Festival. Even so, she postponed any professional pursuit of singing. After marrying in 1967 she worked for a time as a farmer and housepainter in Maine, waiting until 1976 before committing seriously to music. That same year she began appearing in clubs, where her circle soon encompassed Bob Dorough, Vic Juris, Eric Kloss, and Waldron. Despite evident ability, she never achieved major success and has remained only semi-active in the field ever since.