Early Life
Ian Parker was born on 26 November 1953 in the coastal town of Irvine, Ayrshire to David and Anne Parker. He showed a natural ability to play the piano from a very early age and started piano lessons when he was seven. His early influences were The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Stax and Atlantic Soul. In 1969 he started playing with the Ravenspark Academy school rock band "Timor Mortis" performing covers of such artistes as Deep Purple, Cream and Black Sabbath. Other members of the band were Andy Baird vocals, Alan Aitken guitar, Davie Stafford bass and Alistair 'Mub' McKinnon drums. This led to him forming a gigging band, which was originally called 'Tight Express' and also had Alan Aitken and Mub McKinnon as its members. This band later expanded to a four piece with Leo Bigham joining on bass and vocals and became 'The Duck', playing clubs and pubs. The line up now was Ian Parker keyboards and vocals, Alan Aitken guitar, Mub McKinnon drums, and Leo Bigham bass and vocals. Later when Ian left to move to London, Aitken, Bigham and McKinnon formed the band Joe Lethal.
He attended the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama in Glasgow between 1972–1975 and obtained D.R.S.A.M. qualifications. He then moved down to London where he played with the house band at the Hammersmith Palais. This led to him joining the Tom Robinson Band.
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