Aug. 8 | 3 p.m. | Commons Beach | Tahoe City
Aug. 21 | 2 p.m. | Lake Tahoe AleWorX | South Lake Tahoe
Pamela Parker is a force of nature. She sports a 1940s hairstyle with jet black hair, blood-red lips and wild, white circular-framed glasses, which all lend an undeniable stage presence. Still, the music, her sound, makes her indeed a force to be reckoned with.
“I open the channel of energy and the song creates itself. The melody is always the first thing to come out. Most of the time, I refine lyrics over and over.” –Pamela Parker
I initially spoke to Parker shortly before the show with her band The Fantastic Machine was cancelled in Tahoe due to the pandemic shutdown. Parker had just finished work on the band’s latest album, also called “The Fantastic Machine.” I spoke to her again 16 months later as she prepared for her upcoming show in Tahoe City on Aug. 8.
Watch the video for “Caught By The Wind”
“Believe,” one of the cuts that stands out, offers a beautiful and positive message.
“It’s a message that all of us are in this together,” says Parker, who admits she likes to put a positive spin on her music. “I wrote ‘Believe’ with the intention to speak to people. People are searching for things. We are all searching for love, with friends, wives, husbands, in what we do. When we come together in person, that real love gets shared.”
The lyrics offer a glimpse of Parker’s passion: “Why don’t you come inside with me now. You’ll never know what you’ll find until we come together. Baby, come meet me on the dance floor. Then we’ll be inspired to be,” Parker sings. “What kind of world would it be if we could treat each other equally. You know I’m thinkin’ it’s time, we got ourselves together.”
Parker says the song was inspired by a friend who urged her to get out on the dance floor.
A year and a half after releasing the album, Parker acknowledges that the pandemic changed everything. Like many, she thought she’d take the time to get several things done. Her brother died and life took several unexpected turns. She continued to work at Hyde Street Studios in San Francisco as a producer and audio engineer. She did a stripped-down acoustic show, which she livestreamed.
“I worked with a local Tahoe artist named Jetta Cole. I also did a couple of concerts live from the studio called Live from Hyde Street,” says Parker.
Parker is classically trained. She began playing piano when she at age 6 and sang in church before that.
“I used to go to church with my mom and singing was my favorite part,” Parker says.
She is a trained opera singer and she learned to play drums at age 15. She studied violin for seven years and was in an orchestra for five years. It was a trip from Oklahoma to California in which she found herself jamming with a band. This led her to realize what she wanted to do with her life.
She took an internship at One World Studios in Washington, D.C., found a vocal teacher and trained. In college, she was a vocal major with a double minor in jazz and classical piano and guitar. She also received a degree in commercial music and recording technology.
In 2004, she was invited to perform on the renowned Jam Cruise. Her first band Roots A’Risin’ was noticed by Michael Franti. Life took Parker on many twists and turns and eventually, she found her way out West. Inspired by the likes of Aretha Franklin, Lauryn Hill, Alabama Shakes and Joss Stone, Parker carved her niche. Parker connected with RonKat Spearman, who supported her early in her journey.
Parker’s songwriting method is truly as unique as she is. She sits amidst lyrics that are piled on the couch.
“I open the channel of energy and the song creates itself. The melody is always the first thing to come out. Most of the time, I refine lyrics over and over,” says Parker, who collaborates and co-creates music with her band.
“The Fantastic Machine” album features 11 songs, including “The Final Hour,” featuring rapper Shock G, who died in April.
Parker has evolved in the past year and a half and finds herself taking her music in a new direction. She sees herself leaning into her funk and soul roots yet not leaving her rock roots altogether.
“I am moving to a sound that’s actually me and who I am now. I am the same but evolved,” says Parker.
She is currently working on new music with recording producer Jaimeson Durr and releasing a live album by the end of summer. In the meantime, she just released a vocal-endurance training workshop to help musicians increase the strength of their voices.
“I’d love to make sure and thank Brent Dana who has always believed in me and my band. We’ve played at Guitarfish so many times, this is why we are here playing in Tahoe. Before Guitarfish, I had never even been to Tahoe, cuz I’m from the East Coast and was always touring out there during that time,” she says. “I’m so glad I had so many wonderful years at Guitarfish — such an amazing festival.”
Parker is multi-talented. In addition to performing and producing, she teaches music and voice and offers songwriting workshops and online classes. | pamelaparkerrocks.com
