Michael Parrish was born in Mill Valley, California, in 1960. Michael worked as a songwriter, keyboardist and guitarist in New York, Chicago, Nashville, San Francisco and Austin during the 80s and 90s
In Chicago, he was the late great blues vocalist BB Odum's piano player.
Michael Performed at Carnegie Hall as part of "Circus Blues" accompanying Guitar Gabriel, Rimgmaster Ward Hall and Willa Mae "The Snake Lady" Buckner.
Michael's song, "Rain on My Mind", was covered by Joe Louis Walker on " JLW"
He contributed many tracks to the Music Maker series of recordings including Guitar Gabriel/Deep in The South, Came So Far, Drinkhouse/Macavine Hayes, Sugar Man/Cootie Stark and Guitar Gabriel Volume 1.
Starting in 1995 MP released a series of CDs beginning with "Automobility" which garnered a review in "Rolling Stone" in which David Fricke, music editor, said "Parrish writes about the road as if he knows the potholes personally." Automobility featured both Spin Doctor Aaron Comess and the legendary Howie Wyeth on drums.
The albums Beautiful Rocks and Christy's Big Secret, followed with The Michael Parrish Band, which played on the HORDE tour and opened for Blues Traveler and the great NRBQ. Christy's Big Secret featured "Forgoing a Home", a song co-written by the late great BT bassist Bobby Sheehan, and featuring him on bass as well.
Michael recorded a duo blues piano record, One Heart, with the legendary Pinetop Perkins.
Michael along with Bill Kelly contributed several pieces of music to the soundtrack of the oscar-nominated Morgan Spurlock film "Super Size Me"
Discography
Michael Parrish, Folkfoot (2011)
Folkfoot, (Duo with Bill Kelly) Dos Hombres (2009)
Michael Parrish Band, Christy's Big Secret (Geographic)
Michael Parrish Band, Beautiful Rocks (Geographic)
Michael Parrish and Pinetop Perkins, One Heart (Geographic)
Automobility (Geographic)
Instrumental Contributions
Macavine Hayes, Drinkhouse (2005, Musicmaker)
Various Artists, Songs From the Roots of America II (2002, Musicmaker)
Various Artists, Expressin' The Blues (1999, Musicmaker)
Various Artists, Winston Blues Revival Sampler (1999, Cello Recordings)
Popa Chubby, One Million Broken Guitars
Big Boy Henry, Beaufort Blues (Musicmaker)
Cootie Stark, Sugar Man (1998, Cello Recordings)
Various Artists, Came So Far (1995, Music Maker Recordings)
Guitar Gabriel, Guitar Gabriel: Volume 1 (1995, Music Maker Recordings)
Popa Chubby Band, Gas Money (1994, Laughing Bear Records)
Various Artists, A Living Past: Music Maker Patron's Sampler (1994, Music Maker Recordings)
Various Artists, Distinguished Friends of Cello (1994, Cello Records)
Guitar Gabriel, Deep in the South (1992, Karibu Productions)
Album Cuts
"Health Blues" Various Artists, Super Size Me Soundtrack (2004)
"It Must Stink to Be Pink" Various Artists, Super Size Me Soundtrack (2004)
"Rain on My Mind" - Popa Chubby, The Hungry Years (Blind Pig, 2003)
"Rain on My Mind" - Popa Chubby, The First Cuts (Dixie Frog, 1996)
"Rain on My Mind" - Popa Chubby Band, Gas Money (1994, Laughing Bear Records)
"Rain on My Mind" - Joe Louis Walker, JLW (1994, Verve/ Gitanes)
"Leave My Goat Alone" - Guitar Gabriel, Volume 1 (1995, Music Maker Recordings)
Film
"No Haelth Blues" Super Size Me (2004)
"It Must Stink To Be Pink" Super Size Me
"Wuzza Blues" Super Size Me
"Butterfly Fight Club" by Cosmos Sunshine (2016)