It takes a lot of balls to give up a successful career in any business to dive into something else, especially an industry as crazy as the music business. Sometimes the call of the music passion is just too much to ignore. There are many people that never take the plunge and will always wonder ‘What if?’ Our latest find has jumped in with both feet and is making it happen. Welcome to the world of Rick Parnell.
After walking away from a corporate career that would make other jealous, Rick finally decided to pursue his lifelong passion and dedicate his energy to writing and performing his own music. When a man finds his true calling it is easy to focus on making it a success, no matter what that calling may be. Rick formed The Rick Parnell Band with his talented 16 year old guitarist son Hart, Terry Martyniuk on percussion, and Ian Lopez-Ganoza on bass after getting some positive feedback from producer Graham Ronne. The band plays a form of folk-roots rock that fills a room with sound unlike any solo performer ever could. There could be comparisons to Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen, or John Lennon but the effect of adding the full band to songs of this style makes a huge difference.
Last month The Rick Parnell Band released Next Time Around, a 12 song record that showcases the talent that has been nurtured after a long time in the corporate world. These are well written complex songs that stay catchy and tell stories that keeps the listener interested. The track ‘Apple Of Your Eye’ seems like a simple track to tell a story but when you hear the guitar fills and nuances you realize it is much more. A great story is told in ‘Never Knew Her Name’. With a chorus that says “I never knew her name, still I’m glad she came” you get the feel of a man that has experienced much in his life and is now willing to share it with you. A favorite track of the record is ‘A Numbers Game’. The song is faster and peppier than many on the album and grabs the listener’s attention quickly and refuses to let go. The guitar and drum work here is very impressive.
Bottom Line: The Rick Parnell Band is proof that with a true passion great music can come at any time. Go take a listen for yourself at: