Peter Parcek

A guitarist/vocalist with a signature playing style, Boston's Peter Parcek combines a lifetime of influences from numerous blues disciplines and gypsy-jazz to rock, funk, and country into what he refers to as soul guitar. After coming up through the city's blues community, he became involved in a variety of projects, including at one point leading Pinetop Perkins' band. He has opened for acts like the Grateful Dead, Buddy Guy, Koko Taylor, and Charlie Musselwhite, and toured the world both as a solo artist and with the band Dragonfly. Parcek has twice been honored at the New England Music Awards, winning Blues Artist of the Year and Blues Audience Guitarist of the Year. Beginning with his 2000 debut, Parcek has released several solo albums including the 2017 standout Everybody Wants to Go to Heaven and 2020's Mississippi Suitcase. Born in Middletown, Connecticut, Parcek spent some time in England during the latter half of the '60s, gigging as a blues harpist and singer while taking in shows by British blues greats like Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, and Peter Green. Upon his return to the States, he began to study American players like Buddy Guy, Muddy Waters, and Skip James, eventually relocating from Middletown to Boston where he truly began honing his craft. Parcek soon established himself as a guitarist, joining the influential blues combo Nine Below Zero, which in turn led to a gig as bandleader for legendary blues pianist Pinetop Perkins in the '90s. Marking his solo debut with 2000's Evolution, Parcek combined original compositions along with classic songs by Freddie King and Mose Allison, and was joined by special guests such as Al Kooper and Ronnie Earl. A year later he joined Boston singer/songwriter Miki Singh to form Dragonfly, an ambitious, blues-influenced rock/pop outfit who over the next half-decade would release two albums and tour internationally. It wasn't until 2009 that Parcek returned to solo work, delivering his second album, The Mathematics of Love. He continued to gig regularly, adding new dimensions to his soul guitar style and released an EP, Pledging My Time, in 2011 followed in 2017 by his third solo album, Everybody Wants to Go to Heaven. Parcek kicked off the next decade with 2020's Mississippi Suitcase, a bold set that featured guest spots from ace players like organist Spooner Oldham and harmonica player Mickey Raphael.
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