ROCKONZ - Rock Hall of Fame Profile

MERIT AWARD 2007
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			Full name: John Winston Parker AKA: Johnny Born: October 15th, 1943 Hometown: Christchurch, New Zealand Instruments Played: Vocalist, Guitar Career Began: Age 16 (The Sapphires) Other Groups: Wildcats (aged 17) First Recording: 1960 Other Groups: Downbeats (renamed from Wildcats) 1962, Sundowners (Auckland 1964) Gigs: Spencer Street, Dolphin Lounge, Coca Cola Twist Marathons - Christchurch/Temuka Tours: Oamaru, Timaru, Temuka, Mount Maunganui Worked With: Howard Morrison Quartet, Tony Willams, Dinah Lee, Max Merritt, John Rowles, The Chicks, Lew Pryme, Bobby Davis, Ray Wolfe Years in the Music Business: 1959 to 1965 Musical Rebirth: Christchurch Cathedral Revival Concerts 2006		Merit Award 2007


	*Johnny Parker ... in his own words*

	I was a war time baby, born in 1943. At 16 I started singing in the Sapphires band which had a regular dance in England Street called the Dolphin Lounge. Later I joined the Wildcats just before I turned 17, and recorded my first record in 1960. The Wildcats went through a name change in 1962 and became the Downbeats, soon building up a reputation as a great band to dance to at Spencer Street, the biggest dance in Christchurch at the time.

	Johnny Parker performs with The Downbeats - then and now !

	The Downbeats played for a new phenomenon called the Twist and we were hired to play at the Coca Cola Twist Marathons which could go for several days at a time. I moved to Auckland in 1964 and joined the Sundowners Band from whence I was called up in the 18 year olds Army Draft system and went into the army in 1965 bringing my career to an abrupt end. During my career I sang at venues with the Howard Morrison Quartet, Toni Williams, Dinah Lee, Max Merritt and the Meteors, John Rowles, The Chicks, Lou Prime, Bobby Davis and Ray Wolfe. I rejoined the singing fraternity in 2006 at the Spencer Street Revival in Christchurch Cathedral.