Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular Music

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

PARKS, Van Dyke

(b 3 January 1941, MS) USA singer- songwriter, producer. He worked as a child actor in Hollywood, studied piano, signed to MGM as songwriter for Walt Disney soundtracks, made a couple of solo singles, wrote songs including 'High Coin' for Bobby Vee, produced local acts Mojo Men and Harper's Bizarre. He co-wrote songs with Beach Boys' Brian Wilson for the abortive album Smile (e.g. 'Heroes And Villains' which appeared on other albums/singles); Smile finally came out 40 years later. He also contributed to Smiley Smile '67.

His own Song Cycle '68 took four years to complete, with lavish arrangements and unusual vocal treatments, hailed as the first 'art-rock' LP by some, still a masterpiece for many. He produced Randy Newman '68, also work by Arlo Guthrie, Ry Cooder, Phil Ochs; sessioned on piano with Tim Buckley, Little Feat, Judy Collins, the Byrds; was director of Warner Bros audio/visual services '70, left '71. He immersed himself in Caribbean music, producing the Esso Trinidadian Steel band which also appeared on his Discover America '72, also calypso king Mighty Sparrow (Hot And Sweet '74). His own third album was straightforward The Clang Of The Yankee Reaper '75, then a long gap to Jump! '84, the sleeve carrying illustrations for Joel Chandler Harris's Tales Of Uncle Remus (he may have been thinking in terms of a Broadway show). He contributed to Robert Altman film Popeye '80 and continued operating on the fringe of popular music, with low profile, many credits, layered sounds, and an eccentric image. Tokyo Rose '89 was a song cycle about post-war Japan. The first three LPs were reissued on Edsel UK '86 to unexpected critical acclaim, yet whenever he takes a production credit (the later Brian Wilson, such as Orange Crate Art '95 on WEA; Sandii and the Sunsetz) there are inevitable mutters of 'Who does he think he is?'

More recently he has worked with Rufus Wainwright, Joanna Newsome and Danger Mouse. In 2008 he had contributed arrangements to An Invitation (on Everloving) by singer-songwriter Inara George, Lowell George's daughter, whom he has known since she was an infant. The arrangements were praised by Jim Fusilli in the Wall Street Journal as 'seemingly offhand sophistication', defined by 'the tenderness at the heart of the music'.