Parker Ferrell – Love Runs Through
This Tulsa, Oklahoma artist starts his CD with a beautifully performed slow memorable melody on “To Deserve You,” with its creative structure. With lovely lyrics & warm vocals captured with a tonality that is sincere & illuminating. It has an earthiness, a pastoral-inspired delivery with winding guitars that strengthen its gentle melody & pulls on it like controlling a kite.
In the music industry over 20 years & originally a session guitarist, writer, composer, singer & band leader Parker Ferrell (guitar/piano/lead vocals) has worked with many name artists. In 2022 he decided to create his own solo album produced by Parker with Jared Tyler (Emmylou Harris, Tommy Emmanuel).
Ferrell’s material is rooted in the same styles as the melody-driven stylists such as Gordon Lightfoot, Eric Andersen, David Blue, late-career Robert Hazard, Marc Cohn & Joe Henry. His voice fits between each with skill. The 7-cut Love Runs Through (Drops June 16–Independent) is filled with songs written over a decade – emotionally spirited tunes, love songs, a reggae-dipped romance song with nice sax runs, poetic ballads about daily life, that the trappings of a family actually are the byproducts of the love between a man & a woman.
Some songs remind me of the beauty of music & lyrics as arranged by the band Mark-Almond (“What Am I Living For,” “Everybody Needs a Friend”) from the 70s. All are sung with a buttery rhythm, affirmation, emphasis & care. This is what Parker Ferrell manages with ease. He could’ve replaced the great Jon Mark in that duo had that opportunity presented itself.
Parker also writes from a historical perspective with “The Wright Flyer,” a tribute to the Wright Brothers. Parker is comfortable in the stylization that was natural for singers like the late Kenny Rankin (“Silver Morning”), Dean Freidman (“Ariel”) & the late English singer-songwriter David McWilliams (“Marlena,” “There’s No Lock Upon My Door”).
What makes Parker special is that he covers ground few singer-songwriters do – or at least never do with such poignancy. The songs can be related to by anyone anywhere in the world who understands friendship, family & living a good life. Is that such a bad thing for a singer-songwriter to sing about?
Highlights – “To Deserve You,” “Love Runs Through” “Malala (You’re the Happiest Girl In the World),” “To All the Friends I’ve Known,” “The Wright Flyer” & “Unlikely Love.”
Musicians – Michael Frost (drums), Zach Hardin (bass), Andrew Bair (piano), Matt Magerkurth (cello), Luke Bulla (violin), Timbre Cierpke (harp), Mike Cameron (sax), Gary Hale (Native American flutes), Edison Hill (percussion), Jared Tyler, Brianna Wright, Ken Pomeroy & Suzi Land (vocals).
Color image courtesy of Greg Bollinger. The 35-minute CD @ https://www.parkerferrellmusic.com/