London Parris

Conley "London" Parris (25 May 1931 – 7 September 1992) was an American southern gospel bass singer, famous for his associations with The Blackwood Brothers and hit songs such as "Heaven Came Down". He was inducted into the Southern Gospel Hall of Fame in 2004.[1]

London Parris
Birth nameConley Parris
Born(1931-05-25)25 May 1931
United States
Died7 September 1992(1992-09-07) (aged 61)
United States
GenresSouthern gospel
Occupation(s)Musician
InstrumentsVocals
Years activeca. 1950–1992
LabelsRCA, Skylite
Associated actsThe Rebels Quartet, The Blackwood Brothers, London Parris and The Apostles

Biography and career

Conley Parris was born on 25 May 1931 in the United States. Named “London” by Lee Roy Abernathy of The Homeland Harmony Quartet, he started singing gospel music in The Rebels Quartet when he replaced bass singer Big Jim Waits.[2]

Parris joined Christian music pioneers The Blackwood Brothers in the late 1960s during their post-Sumner era.[3] With The Blackwood Brothers he released many albums and went to win two Grammy Awards for Best Gospel Performance with their album In Gospel Country in 1969 at the 12th Annual Grammy Awards[4][5] and again in 1972 for L-O-V-E at the 15th Annual Grammy Awards,[6][7] the 1970 Album of the Year award for Fill My Cup, Lord at the 2nd GMA Dove Awards, and many other awards.[8]

In 1971 he started his own group, London Parris and The Apostles, which won the Dove Award for the Most Promising New Gospel Talent at the 4th GMA Dove Awards in 1972.[2][3]

Parris and his wife Yvonne had two sons, Christopher and David, and one daughter, Kathy.[3] He died on 7 September 1992.[3]

Parris was a consummate performer with a large, booming bass voice and a dynamic personality that made him a crowd favorite.[2][3] He was famous for his renditions of "At the Crossing" and "Little Boy Lost", but "Heaven Came Down" and "Everybody Ought to Know" are his signature songs.[2]

In 2004, he was posthumously inducted into the Southern Gospel Hall of Fame, operated at Dollywood, in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, by the Southern Gospel Music Association.[1]

Discography
As London Parris[9]
Year Album Record label
1965 God Called Me to Sing Skylite / 6038
As London Parris & the Goss Brothers[10]
Year Album Record label
1968 Heaven Came Down Zondervan / 728
1969 Sounds of London Zondervan / 747
With The Blackwood Brothers Quartet
Year Album Record label
1968 Yours Faithfully RCA Victor
In Gospel Country
All Day Singing Skylite
1969 The Heavenly Harmony of The Blackwood Brothers Quartet
Fill My Cup Lord RCA Victor
Just a Closer Walk with Thee RCA Camden
O Come All Ye Faithful
1970 Gospel Classics
My God and I
Oh Happy Day RCA Camden
1971 Sheltered in the Arms of God
Amazing Grace
Put Your Hand in the Hand
The Blackwood Brothers Quartet featuring London Parris
He's Still the King of Kings and Lord of Lords RCA Victor
1972 L-O-V-E
As London Parris and the Apostles[11]
Year Album Record label
1970 What a Day CAM 1206
1971 The Eastern Gate
1973 Because He Lives Chime Records / LP 311
1973 Featuring their Bass, London Parris QCA / LP 312
1973 Why Me? QCA / LP 309
With Jackie Marshall[12]
Year Album Record label
1987 Friends Working Together

See also

References
  1. "Hall of Fame 2004". SGMA. Archived from the original on 2014-10-17.
  2. "Conley "London" Parris". SGMA. Archived from the original on 2014-06-21.
  3. "Tribute". blackwoodbrothers.com.
  4. Campbell, Mary (12 March 1970). "Rock Group, Machine, Pop Song Top Grammy Winners". Waycross Journal-Herald.
  5. "1969 Grammy Award Winners". Grammy.com.
  6. "Roberta Flack tops Grammys". The Montreal Gazette. 5 March 1973.
  7. "1972 Grammy Award Winners". Grammy.com.
  8. "Awards". blackwoodbrothers.com.
  9. "London Parris". Rate Your Music.
  10. "London Parris & the Goss Brothers". Rate Your Music.
  11. "London Parris & the Apostles". Rate Your Music.
  12. "London Parris & Jackie Marshall". Rate Your Music.
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