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Big textJim Parker (singer/songwriter, musician, writer, puppeteer)

James Douglas Parker (born 4 September 1955)

Big textCareer

Jim began his musical career as a drummer in Toronto, Canada playing with the progressive rock band HAIVEIN (keyboardist John Ebata, bassist Gary Justice, guitar Wally Burak). After graduating high school and one year of University in 1975, Jim moved to the East Coast of Canada where he played a brief stint with the touring band THRESHOLD, also with Gary Justice on bass. In the spring of 1976, Parker moved back to Toronto and joined the band, SANS HARBOUR (guitar John McAdam, guitar/vocals Don Lougheed, bass Al Smith, keyboards Bob Zawiski) and played with them for the next 4 years as lead vocalist and drummer.

After leaving that band, Jim began playing guitar and keyboards as well as writing songs while holding down a day job in Toronto. Through 1980/81 he played briefly with the band SILENT PARTNER (bass Jordan Lucas, guitar Ron Dalide) as vocalist/guitar player. It was during this time that he also began working with the touring version of THE POLKA DOT DOOR a popular children's television show on TVO (Television Ontario). His duties included opening the show singing and playing guitar and dressing up as the character, THE POLKAROO.