Benjamin Parker’s music combines gritty blues, unrelenting rock, and infectious melodies. With his voice, guitar, and looper, he crafts a captivating sound that shines in his raw, passionate live performances.
Name:
Benjamin Parker
Genre:
Rock/Blues/RnB
Founded:
Started playing music as a kid. Became my profession/livelihood around 2016.
# of Albums:
No solo albums yet! But have co-written for or played on a bunch!
Latest Album:
Recently worked on a track for upcoming release by Scotty Hills. He’s great!
Latest Single:
Not so recent, but fun collab with awesome artist Moods from Netherlands.
Latest Video:
Favourite musician growing up:
So many! I guess if I had to choose 1, it would be The Beatles. Honourable mentions: Jimi Hendrix, Rolling Stones, George Thorogood, Dion & The Belmonts, Wide Mouth Mason. Went through a bit of a Hanson phase too! 
Favourite musician now:
If I had to choose just one, it would be John Mayer. He has such a great blend of great songs and super tasteful guitar. He’s def a prominent musical influence for me.
Guilty pleasure song:
Most anything by T-Swift!
Live show ritual:
Aside from making sure the music is where it needs to be, I really like to take my time and prepare all of my equipment for the gig. Do any programming on my pedalboard, dial in any tones, make sure everything’s in good working order and nice and clean — tidiness and organization relaxes me a bit, makes me feel more prepared and gives me the opportunity to focus on the performance. I’ll usually do that at home while watching some YouTube videos or Simpsons.
Favourite local musician:
Does Bryan Adams count?? Jay Esplana is one of my favourite musicians to play with in town. He’s a multi-instrumentalist beast and shares a love of gear nerdery.
EP or LP?
LP. I always appreciated listening to an album start to finish and going on the ride the artist/band was trying to lay out. One of my fav albums is Get Born by JET.
Early bird or night owl?
Night owl for sure. But my kids force be to be a morning person!
Road or studio?
I’ve always liked both. Spent my share of time in a van traveling to gigs across Canada. But I lean more towards the home-based stuff these days, especially with having a family and young children. I have a little home studio setup that I spend a lot of time working at.
Any shows or albums coming up?
This spring I have a few road dates playing guitar for multiple Juno winning artist Steve Marriner at the end of his tour Canadian tour. I’ll be filling in for a great guitarist Chris Caddell who plays in the band Big Wreck. Really excited about that one.
Where can we follow you?
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Rapid Fire Local Questions:
What is your favourite local restaurant?
Cuchillo!
What is your favourite street in Vancouver and why?
The one without construction.
What is your favourite park in Vancouver and why?
Stanley Park. Lots to do and beautiful scenery.
What is your favourite music venue in Vancouver?
It’s not your typical music venue, but my fav spot to perform in town is at a place in Gastown called Clough Club (pronounced ‘clue’). It was one of my first residencies when I moved to Vancouver in 2014. I’ve become good friends with the owner Joey, and I’ve met so many cool people through that place directly or indirectly – friends, bandmates, and even my wife! It’s kinda like my Cheers. I play there every weekend! Come say hi! (That wasn’t very rapid sorry!)
What is your favourite music store in Vancouver?
Rufus!
