This man has been shaping American pop culture in stealth mode, operating in its canyons at night like a superhero. Hear the Beach Boys and Ry Cooder collaborator in a Fireside Chat on Red Bull Music Academy Radio...
Born 1943 in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, Van Dyke Parks is one of the most interesting figures in American popular culture. From working with the Beach Boys to helping a struggling Calypso band, from playing beatnik folk bars to arranging The Bare Necessities for Disney's The Jungle Book, he has seen and shaped more of it than most people know about.
Relocating to New Jersey as a young lad to study at the American Boychoir School in Princeton, he sidelined his musical interests when he found work as a child actor in various film and TV productions. After studying at Carnegie and in Pittsburgh, he learned to play guitar and moved to California, which is where things got interesting. He became a fixture on the local folk circuit, known for both his musical abilities and his wide knowledge... and his willingness to share it.
He signed his first artist contract with MGM in 1964 and he went on to release some singles before moving on to Warner where he released a remarkably expansive lost-classic album called Song Cycle. He also produced the first records by Randy Newman and Ry Cooder, while keeping a steady sideline as a session musician and songwriter - which is how he came to work on the infamous 'Smile' project with Brian Wilson.
While the beatnik sensibilities of his lyrical didn't fare well with Mike Love, tracks like Heroes And Villains and Surf's Up have certainly stood the test of time. While Brian Wilson and the Beach Boys fell apart over 'Smile', Parks kept himself busy with producing, working with The Esso Trinidad Steelband, pioneering the audio/visual department at Warner Brothers and doing more work for film companies.
With current artists such as Joanna Newsom and Danger Mouse still standing in line to work with him, Parks has kept his musical chops, wry humor and stern believes in fine shape. Tune in for a special Fireside Chat with him on Red Bull Music Academy Radio...
Playlist:
Van Dyke Parks - Number Nine - MGM
Van Dyke Parks - Come To The Sunshine - MGM
The Rolling Stones - Time Is On My Side - Decca
Van Dyke Parks - The All Golden - Rykodisc
Randy Newman - I Think It's Going To Rain Today - Reprise
Brian Wilson & Van Dyke Parks - Orange Crate Art - Warner
Neil Young - Cowgirl In the Sand (Live At Massey Hall 1971) - Reprise
The Charlatans - High Coin - Philips
Spike Jones - Cocktails For Two - RCA
Joanna Newsom - Monkey & Bear - Drag City
Van Dyke Parks - Black Gold (Live at Primavera Sound 2010) - Unreleased
The Beach Boys - Heroes & Villains - Capitol
The Esso Trinidad Steel Band - Come To The Sunshine – Warner
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