Levi Parham

Levi Parham is an American singer/songwriter, recording artist from McAlester, Oklahoma, United States.^[1]

Levi Parham
Background information
Origin	McAlester, Oklahoma, United States
Genres	Blues, folk, country, Americana
Labels	AGD Entertainment
Website	www.leviparham.com

Early life

Levi grew up in southeast Oklahoma listening to his father's large album collection, especially the blues.^[2][3][4]

Career

Parham began his career in 2013, self-releasing his first album, An Okie Opera.^[5] Currentland Magazine named it one of the top Red Dirt albums of the year, alongside Samantha Crain, Red Dirt Rangers, and Jason Boland.^[4] He followed that release in 2014 with a six song EP, Avalon Drive.^{[6][7][8][9][10][11]}

After touring the U.S., Parham met producer Jimmy LaFave, who later signed him to Music Road Records^[12] in December 2015.^[13][14] Parham went into Cedar Creek Studios in Austin, Texas with LaFave to work on his next album. These American Blues was released on 24 June 2016 to favorable reviews.^[15][16] PopMatters Magazine said of the title song, "It could stand as a rootsy election year anthem", while Elmore Magazine said Parham "sings with an occasionally world-weary, sometimes playful, but always powerful authority on America."^[17] These American Blues rose quickly on the Americana Music Association chart, topping out at No. 23.

In 2017, Parham toured Europe several times, with sold-out shows and festival dates in Spain, Netherlands, Italy, Germany, Switzerland, and Belgium, sharing stages with Jason Isbell, Margo Price, Chuck Prophet, Jonny Lang, Sam Outlaw, Jim Lauderdale, Hurray for the Riff Raff, Ben Miller Band, The Secret Sisters, Jesse Dayton, and more.

In June 2017, Parham was featured on a various artists' tribute to Mark Heard, Treasure of the Broken Land: The Songs of Mark Heard, which showcased Heard's songwriting performed by Buddy Miller, Rodney Crowell, North Mississippi Allstars, Over the Rhine, Sara Potenza, and more. While working on this project, Parham befriended Amy Helm and the two sang a duo together. Later that year, Parham went on the road as supporting act for Helm, with a tour up the US West Coast and Canada.

Sometime in early 2017 while touring through the South, Parham got the chance to visit a recording studio that was once owned and operated by The Swampers, the rhythm section that started the Muscle Shoals Sound. While visiting with the engineer at the studio and touring the facilities, Parham got the idea to bring a crew of his Tulsa friends to Muscle Shoals to combine both styles of music, and to get it all on tape. Parham assembled the line-up and in August 2017 he brought John Fullbright, Dustin Pittsley,^[18] Jesse Aycock, Dylan Golden Aycock, John Moreland, Lauren Barth,^[19] Paul Benjaman,^[20] and Michael Staub into Studio B at what is now called Portside Sound to cut a record. The session cut most songs live. The album was released in June 2018, It's All Good, via Horton Records.^[21] This Land Press called it "A beautiful mixture of the Tulsa Sound and the Muscle Shoals history, resulting in an exciting blend of Southern vibes, soulful grooves, and mean guitar battles." while another review said, "It's all good? No, It's all brilliant."

In 2018, Parham was featured in a video music series called "Play It Loud", focusing on Oklahoma bred music artists, which won a Heartland Emmy.^[22][23][24]

Discography

Studio albums

• An Okie Opera (2013, self-released)
• These American Blues (2016, Music Road Records)
• It's All Good (2018, Horton Records)
• Sure, Okay, Great (2022, self-released)

EPs

• Avalon Drive (2014, self-released)

Various artist compilation album

• Treasure of the Broken Land: The Songs of Mark Heard (2017, Storm Weathered Records)

References

1. "Levi Parham — AGD Entertainment". Agdentertainment.com. Retrieved 27 September 2015.
2. "Oklahoma musician Q&A: Levi Parham steers toward music with 'Avalon Drive' EP release". NewsOK.com. Retrieved 27 December 2015.
3. "Levi Parham Dredges Up the Past With 'Never Coming Home to Me'". Thebluegrasssituation.com. Retrieved 27 December 2015.
4. "Red Dirt Nation | Artist | Levi Parham". Reddirtnation.com. Retrieved 27 December 2015.
5. Higgs, Richard. "Levi Parham – An Okie Opera". Currentland.com. Retrieved 27 September 2015.
6. McDonnell, Brandy. "Oklahoma musician Q&A: Levi Parham steers toward music with 'Avalon Drive' EP release". The Oklahoman. Retrieved 27 September 2015.
7. Shelburne, Craig. "Levi Parham Relearns "Never Coming Home to Me"". Cmtedge.com. Retrieved 27 September 2015.
8. Anderl, Timothy (9 December 2014). "Albums In The Stream: Levi Parham, Avalon Drive EP". Ghettoblaster Magazine. Retrieved 27 September 2015.
9. Mack, Joe. "Sound Advice: Levi Parham". Currentland.com. Retrieved 27 September 2015.
10. Matthews, Cameron. "LEVI PARHAM DREDGES UP THE PAST WITH 'NEVER COMING HOME TO ME'". Thebluegrasssituation.com. Retrieved 27 September 2015.
11. Gallacher, Alex. "Premiere: Levi Parham – Lola My Lovely (+ Song of the Day)". Folkradio.co.uk. Retrieved 27 September 2015.
12. "Music Road Records". Musicroadrecords.com. Retrieved 10 May 2021.
13. "Red Dirt Nation | Levi Parham on his current tour and upcoming album". Reddirtnation.com. Retrieved 17 December 2015.
14. "Jimmy LaFave comes full circle to Oklahoma with new album, Winter Wind concert". NewsOK.com. Retrieved 17 December 2015.
15. "Oklahoma singer-songwriter Levi Parham signs with Music Road | Music Road Records". Musicroadrecords.com. Retrieved 17 December 2015.
16. "Levi Parham – "These American Blues" (audio) (premiere)". PopMatters. 1 May 2016. Retrieved 10 December 2017.
17. "Levi Parham Parses The American Dream On His Powerful New Record". Elmore Magazine. 1 June 2016. Retrieved 10 December 2017.
18. "Dustin Pittsley Band | The Official Site of the DPB". Dustinpittsley.com. Retrieved 10 May 2021.
19. . Archived from the original on 20 February 2020. Retrieved 12 July 2022.
20. "Paul Benjaman Band". Paul-benjaman-band. Retrieved 10 May 2021.
21. "It's All Good - Levi Parham | Releases | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 10 May 2021.
22. Adrian O'Hanlon III. "Levi Parham featured in Emmy-winning series". McAlester News-Capital. Retrieved 8 January 2020.
23. "Watch: Oklahoma music series 'Play It Loud' features Levi Parham in Season 1 finale". Oklahoman.com. 2 July 2018. Retrieved 8 January 2020.
24. ""Play It Loud" brings home an Emmy • Citizen Potawatomi Nation". Citizen Potawatomi Nation. 1 September 2019. Retrieved 8 January 2020.