Ken Parker

Ken Parker (born Kenneth L. Farquharson, 23 February 1948 – 22 February 2025) was a Jamaican singer whose career began in the 1960s, emerging from the same fertile era that produced many of Jamaica’s classic vocalists. Born in Darliston, Westmoreland Parish, he started singing in church, influenced by his father who was a preacher. His early grounding in gospel would later shape both his vocal style and the spiritual direction of much of his work. Parker’s recording career took off after an audition mix-up led him to perform solo for Coxsone Dodd at Studio One, where he impressed enough to launch a successful solo run. He recorded notable tracks such as “Choking Kind,” “Run Come,” and “My Whole World Is Falling Down,” along with the album Keep Your Eyes on Jesus (1968). He later worked with Duke Reid, scoring popular hits including “Jimmy Brown,” “Help Me Make It Through the Night,” and “Kiss an Angel Good Morning,” and went on to record for producers such as Bunny Lee, Rupie Edwards, Joe Gibbs, Lloyd Charmers, and others, covering soul classics like “You Send Me” and “Queen Majesty.” Disillusioned with the music industry, Parker largely stepped away from recording by 1972, relocating first to New York and then England. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, he returned briefly to record reflective roots reggae discomixes for Roy Cousins, backed by the Roots Radics, before later focusing on gospel releases through his own label. Settling eventually in Florida, Parker continued to perform occasionally, including a sold-out appearance at the International Ska and Reggae Festival in London in 2014. He passed away on 22 February 2025, one day before his 77th birthday, leaving behind a respected legacy in Jamaican music.