Robert Parker, Jr. was born in
Mobile, Alabama, to Robert and Leana Parker. and started his career as a saxophonist, playing with
Professor Longhair on his hit "Mardi Gras in New Orleans" in 1949. By 1958, he had started recording solo, having a local hit with the instrumental "All Nite Long" a year later. In 1967, he had another minor R&B hit with "Tip Toe" (no.48,
R&B chart). Although he continued to record, he failed to repeat his success in terms of sales, and his recording career effectively ended in the mid 1970s. However, he continued to perform and tour for many more years, remaining especially popular in the UK. On July 19, 2009, he performed "Barefootin'" and "Where the Action Is" in a 'Tribute to Wardell Quezergue', a concert at
Alice Tully Hall at the
Lincoln Center in
New York. Parker died on January 19, 2020, at his home in
Roseland, Louisiana, at the age of 89 of natural causes. == Discography ==