Levi Parham

Levi Parham is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist from McAlester, Oklahoma, United States.[1]

Levi Parham
Levi Parham
OriginMcAlester, Oklahoma, United States
GenresBlues, folk, country, Americana
LabelsAGD Entertainment
Websitewww.leviparham.com

Early life

Levi grew up in southeast Oklahoma listening to his father's large Album collection, especially the Blues.[2][3][4]

Career

Parham began his career in 2013, self-releasing his first-full length album titled An Okie Opera.[5] Currentland Magazine named it one of the top Red Dirt albums of the year, alongside Samantha Crain, Red Dirt Rangers, and Jason Boland.[6] He followed that release in 2014 with a six song EP titled Avalon Drive.[7][8][9][10][11][12]

After touring the U.S. extensively, Parham met producer Jimmy LaFave, who later signed him to Music Road Records[13] in December 2015.[14][15] Parham immediately went into Cedar Creek Studios in Austin, TX with LaFave to work on his next full length album. These American Blues was released 24 June 2016 to favorable reviews.[16][17] PopMatters Magazine said of the title song, "It could stand as a rootsy election year anthem", while Elmore Magazine said Parham "sings with an occasionally world-weary, sometimes playful, but always powerful authority on America."[18] The album These American Blues rose quickly on the Americana Music Association Charts, climbing all the way into the Top 40 and staying for several weeks, topping out at No. 23.

In 2017, Parham toured Europe several times, with sold-out shows and festival dates in Spain, Netherlands, Italy, Germany, Switzerland, and Belgium, sharing stages with Jason Isbell, Margo Price, Chuck Prophet, Jonny Lang, Sam Outlaw, Jim Lauderdale, Hurray for the Riff Raff, Ben Miller Band, The Secret Sisters, Jesse Dayton, and more.

In June 2017, Parham was featured on a various artists' tribute to Mark Heard, an album called Treasures of a Broken Land, which showcased Mark's great songwriting performed by the likes of Buddy Miller, Rodney Crowell, North Mississippi Allstars, Over the Rhine, Sara Potenza, and more. While working on this project, Parham befriended Amy Helm and the two sang a duo together. Later that Fall, Parham went on the road as supporting act for Amy, with a tour up the US West Coast and through Canada.

Sometime in early 2017 while touring through the South, Parham got the chance to visit a recording studio that was once owned and operated by The Swampers, the rhythm section that started the Muscle Shoals Sound. While visiting with the engineer at the studio and touring the facilities, Parham got the idea to bring a crew of his Tulsa friends – guys who were still carrying the torch of the Tulsa Sound originated by guys like Leon Russell and JJ Cale – to Muscle Shoals to combine both styles of music and to get it all on tape. Parham assembled the lineup and in August 2017 he brought John Fullbright, Dustin Pittsley,[19] Jesse Aycock, Dylan Golden Aycock, Aaron Behlor, Lauren Barth,[20] Paul Benjaman,[21] and Michael Staub into Studio B at what is now called Portside Sound to cut a record. The session went fairly smooth and quick, with the gang finishing out the majority of the songs within the first two days, cutting most songs completely live. The album was released in June 2018, titled It's All Good via Horton Records.

In 2018, Parham was featured in a video music series called "Play It Loud", focusing on Oklahoma bred music artists, which won a Heartland Emmy.[22][23][24]

Discography

Studio albums

  • An Okie Opera (2013, self-released)
  • These American Blues (2016, Music Road Records)
  • It's All Good (2018, Horton Records)

EPs

  • Avalon Drive (2014, self-released)

Various Artist Compilation

  • Treasure of the Broken Land, The Songs Of Mark Heard (2017, Storm Weathered Records)

References
  1. "Levi Parham — AGD Entertainment". agdentertainment.com. Retrieved 27 September 2015.
  2. "Oklahoma musician Q&A: Levi Parham steers toward music with 'Avalon Drive' EP release". NewsOK.com. Retrieved 27 December 2015.
  3. "Levi Parham Dredges Up the Past With 'Never Coming Home to Me'". The Bluegrass Situation. Retrieved 27 December 2015.
  4. "Red Dirt Nation | Artist | Levi Parham". www.reddirtnation.com. Retrieved 27 December 2015.
  5. Higgs, Richard. "Levi Parham – An Okie Opera". Currentland. Retrieved 27 September 2015.
  6. "Red Dirt Nation | Artist | Levi Parham". www.reddirtnation.com. Retrieved 27 December 2015.
  7. McDonnell, Brandy. "Oklahoma musician Q&A: Levi Parham steers toward music with 'Avalon Drive' EP release". The Oklahoman. Retrieved 27 September 2015.
  8. Shelburne, Craig. "Levi Parham Relearns "Never Coming Home to Me"". CMT Edge. Retrieved 27 September 2015.
  9. Anderl, Timothy. "Albums In The Stream: Levi Parham, Avalon Drive EP". Ghettoblaster Magazine. Retrieved 27 September 2015.
  10. Mack, Joe. "Sound Advice: Levi Parham". Currentland. Retrieved 27 September 2015.
  11. Matthews, Cameron. "LEVI PARHAM DREDGES UP THE PAST WITH 'NEVER COMING HOME TO ME'". The Bluegrass Situation. Retrieved 27 September 2015.
  12. Gallacher, Alex. "Premiere: Levi Parham – Lola My Lovely (+ Song of the Day)". Folk Radio UK. Retrieved 27 September 2015.
  13. Music Road Records
  14. "Red Dirt Nation | Levi Parham on his current tour and upcoming album". www.reddirtnation.com. Retrieved 17 December 2015.
  15. "Jimmy LaFave comes full circle to Oklahoma with new album, Winter Wind concert". NewsOK.com. Retrieved 17 December 2015.
  16. "Oklahoma singer-songwriter Levi Parham signs with Music Road | Music Road Records". www.musicroadrecords.com. Retrieved 17 December 2015.
  17. "Levi Parham – "These American Blues" (audio) (premiere)". PopMatters. 1 May 2016. Retrieved 10 December 2017.
  18. "Levi Parham Parses The American Dream On His Powerful New Record". Elmore Magazine. 1 June 2016. Retrieved 10 December 2017.
  19. Dustin Pittsley
  20. Lauren Barth
  21. Paul Benjaman
  22. Editor, Adrian O'Hanlon III News. "Levi Parham featured in Emmy-winning series". McAlester News-Capital. Retrieved 8 January 2020.CS1 maint: extra text: authors list (link)
  23. "Watch: Oklahoma music series 'Play It Loud' features Levi Parham in Season 1 finale". Oklahoman.com. 2 July 2018. Retrieved 8 January 2020.
  24. Office, CPN Public Information (1 September 2019). ""Play It Loud" brings home an Emmy • Citizen Potawatomi Nation". Citizen Potawatomi Nation. Retrieved 8 January 2020.
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