Soul vocalist Winfield ‘Buddy’ Parker grew up in the central Howard County town of Cooksville. He attended Harriet Tubman High School in Simpsonville where, in 1956, affectionately known as ‘Little Winnie,’ he joined his first band the Vee-Jays (see bio) as a saxophone player.
Winfield went on to join the D.C. based Sammy Fitzhugh & the Morocco’s and recorded two singles with the group in 1959-60. He next joined Little Richard’s band and toured with them throughout the U.S. and Europe. In the D.C. area, Winfield played sax on Big Jay McNeeley’s single “There’s Something on Your Mind” and in Baltimore he briefly appeared as a guitarist with the Swallows, who were being managed by a cousin.
Winfield formed his next band, the Imperial Thrillers, as the lead singer and sometimes saxophonist. Under the management of Ru-Jac Records owner and booking agent Rufus Mitchell, Winfield performed at most of the R&B clubs in the Baltimore area including the Lucky Number, Lyric Theater, Club Casino, Madison Club, Sphynx Club, New Colony Club, Rally Club, and the Red Fox Lounge. Mitchell was also a part owner and booking agent for the famous Carr’s Beach in Annapolis. Winfield and the Thrillers performed there often. The beach pavilion hosted shows featuring virtually every popular R&B artist. DJ’s Hoppy Adams, Hot Rod, and Fat Daddy were often emcee’s for the shows. Winfield remembers those personalities along with Rockin’ Robin and others at his favorite radio stations WEBB, WWIN and D.C. station WOOK, and WANN (Annapolis).
The Royal Theater was one of Parker’s favorite places to play explaining “that was the big time, when you got to the Royal, you know you had made it!” In 1961 Winfield and his Imperial Thrillers competed in a battle of the bands in Warrenton, Virginia. They won first place and soon went on the road with Little Sonny Warner and Big Jay McNeely (of “There’s Something on Your Mind” fame). The band membership constantly changed over the years and eventually the Imperial Thrillers split up.
As Little Winfield Parker, he recorded his first record on Ru-Jac, a ballad titled “My Love For You” backed with the Shyndell’s Band. He continued to release some great singles on Ru-Jac. Eventually “My Love for You” gained popularity and was picked up and released by Atco Records in 1967.
Among other live appearances, the Shyndell’s backed up Winfield at a show at the Civic Center opening for the Temptations, the Four Tops, and Moms Mabley on Mother’s Day in 1968. Upon moving to Philadelphia, he recorded a single for Arctic, and another on Wand. During this time he was making the Chitlin’ Circuit rounds under management of the Davenport Booking Agency – traveling to Nova Scotia, Chicago, Atlanta, New York, Boston, and all points between. Over his career Winfield spent almost thirty years touring.
Courtesy of James Gilyard
Parker’s biggest record was done for Spring Records in 1971. Managed by Jimmy Bishop (who was also managing Barbara Mason), he recorded “S.O.S. (Stop Her on Sight)” – a remake of the Edwin Starr hit. The song charted nationally on both the R&B, and Pop charts. An album was also recorded for Spring but never released. Another single was issued from those sessions “Starvin’”, written by Bunny Sigler and Phil Hurtt. The hard driving dance single never charted but became a popular club record. Winfield also recorded for GSF before returning to Baltimore. His band the Mighty Upsetters featured George Parrish (lead guitar), Jimmy Gallon (bass), Scott Johnson (keyboards ex-Sweet Blindness, Daybreak), Ralph Fisher (drums), Joe Conway (trumpet ex-Mello Men, Chrome), and Major Boyd (sax). They performed locally at the Club Casino. The group became known as Both Worlds. In 1975 they released the album “I Want the World to Know” (Calla 5003), along with the title single. Shortly after the album release Parker left the group. He sang briefly with the D.C. group the Knight Brothers in the late ‘70s before assembling another group called the DC Express.
In 1980 as a solo artist, Winfield released a single on P&L “My Love for You” which was a reworked version of his first Ru-Jac record.
After a brief retirement, Winfield came back in 1985 with a new direction, a Gospel group called Praise. Throughout the ‘80s into to ‘00s Praise continued to perform and record Gospel music. Their soulful recordings are played on gospel radio stations countrywide.
Winfield Parker & Praise. Photo courtesy of Winfield Parker
Winfield released an independent CD in 2008 consisting of most of his songs. In 2016 Omnivore Records issued a comprehensive collection of his recordings. This was the first in a series of CD retrospective of Ru-Jac Records.
Winfield, or Buddy as known to his friends continued performing gospel and secular music. He performed annual sold-out concerts at the Sykesville American Legion. In the ‘00s he was briefly a member of The Knight Brothers out of D.C. On November 11, 2017 he performed a show organized by The Creative Alliance at the Arch Social Club that also featured performances by Joe Quarterman, and Joy Postel.
Buddy passed away January 18, 2021.
Discography:
As Little Winfield Parker
1967 Ru-Jac 45006 My Love for You / One of These Mornings
As Winfield Parker
19** Ru-Jac 45007 When I’m Alone / Rockin’ in The Barnyard
1967 Ru-Jac 0017 I Love You Just the Same / My Love
As Winfield Parker (The Shyndel’s Band)
1967 Ru-Jac 0019 Go Away Playgirl / Wondering
1967 Ru-Jac 0020 Sweet Little Girl / What Do You Say
As Winfield Parker
1967 Atco 6474 What Do You Say / Sweet Little Girl
1968 Ru-Jac 0022 She’s So Pretty / Oh My Love
1968 Ru-Jac 0024 I Love You Just the Same / A Fallen Star
19** Ru-Jac 101-1 Mr. Clean (Part 1) / Mr. Clean (Part 2)
1968 Ru-Jac 200 Oh My Love / Funky Party
1969 Arctic 151 Shake That Thing / Brand New Start
1970 Wand 11218 Will There Ever Be Another Love / I’m Wondering
1971 Spring 116 S.O.S. (Stop Her on Sight) / I’m On My Way
1972 Spring 126 Starvin’ / 28 Ways She Loves Me
1972 GSF 6883 Baby Don’t Get Hooked on Me / Trust Me
1980 P&L 62142 My Love for You / I Wanna Be with You
Albums:
With Both Worlds:
1975(LP) Calla 5003 I Want the World to Know
As Winfield Parker:
1980(LP) P&L My Love for You
1990(LP) BP 1×517 I’ve Come a Long Way
2008(CD) BP The Best Of: “Then and Now”
2016(CD) Omnivore 173 Mr Clean: Winfield Parker at Ru-Jac
Winfield Parker & Praise:
1991(LP) BP 2×801 I Believe in Miracles
1996(CD) BP 1000 Have You Tried Him
1997(Tape)BP 2000 When I Rise / Listen for My Name
2003(CD) BP 2003 Shout
2003(CD) Guyden 8050 Sending Up My Timber
2005(CD) WP 12005 Miracle
2006(CD) BP “Give the Credit Where It’s Due”
Discography note: Ru-Jac 45006 also includes the numbers 45-R J 06 / 45-R J 07
