Anders Parker

• Genre: Indie/Alternative
• Hometown: Hudson Valley
• Anders Parker Website

About

Growing up on a farm in New York's Hudson River valley, Anders Parker appreciated the simpler things in life: expansive apple orchards, fresh air and the simplistic elegance found in a solid pop hook. Life among his Beatles, Dylan and Abba records was good, but Parker's yen for something more led him to Portland, Oregon. Having bought a four-track, the troubadour-in-waiting went about writing songs for what was, essentially, his first solo album. Released in 1996 under the moniker Varnaline, Man of Sin was lauded for its emotionally bare, yet lived-in feel. Shortly after, Parker recruited his brother into the fold and added Space Needle drummer Jud Ehrbar, making Varnaline an official band. Throughout the rest of the 1990s, Parker spent his time playing in both Varnaline and Space Needle, collecting adoring fans and accolades galore for his soul-bearing, low-slung approach to music. By the turn of the century, however, Parker's record label went bust and pulled the rug out from under the trio. The rhythm section decided to call it quits and a solo-once-again Parker uprooted himself to North Carolina. In 2001, Songs In A Northern Key came out under the Varnaline name, but this was essentially a one-man effort. Despite the rave reviews on this somber, expansive work, Parker's new label made no move to promote his sophomore effort. After asking to be released from his contract, Parker took his time and wrote a bevy of rugged, intimate gems. Whittling down his stash to a dozen painfully beautiful songs, Anders Parker released Tell It To The Dust in 2004.

- Linda Ryan