Lloyd Parks

Lloyd Parks (born 26 May 1949) is a highly respected Jamaican reggae vocalist and bass player, known for his work both as a solo artist and as a member of influential bands including Skin, Flesh & Bones, The Revolutionaries, The Professionals, and the long-running We the People Band. Born in Kingston, Jamaica, his musical interests were inspired by his uncle, calypso musician Dourie Bryan, and he began performing professionally in the late 1960s with groups such as The Invincibles and later The Termites, recording early rocksteady material for Studio One. After a brief stint replacing Pat Kelly in The Techniques, Parks launched a successful solo career, releasing socially conscious and romantic hits such as “Slaving,” “Officially,” “Mafia,” “Girl in the Morning,” and “Baby Hang Up the Phone.” Alongside his solo success, he became a sought-after session bassist, backing major reggae artists including Dennis Brown, Justin Hinds, Culture, The Abyssinians, The Gladiators, Prince Far I, and many others. His musicianship was central to the sound of Skin, Flesh & Bones, which later evolved into The Revolutionaries, one of the defining studio bands of the 1970s. In 1974, Parks founded the We the People Band, best known as Dennis Brown’s touring band for over two decades and a staple at major festivals such as Reggae Sunsplash and Reggae Sumfest. The band has endured for more than forty years, at times featuring members of Parks’ own family. Beyond reggae stages, Parks also backed John Holt with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in London in 2000. Continuing his legacy, he recorded Lloyd Parks Sings The Techniques in 2015, paying tribute to the group that shaped an important chapter of his early career.