The Whippoorwill

The Parks are a completely different kind of rebel. Johnny and Clint Park are father and son, united in their passion for Southern-rock barnburners and thoughtful country ballads, determined in their willingness to challenge the status quo. Instead of butting heads with each other, the pairing defies music-industry beliefs about demographic differences and ultimately rebels against the establishment. “Musically, Dad and I are on the same page,” Clint says matter-of-factly. “We’re very Texas-influenced.” “We want,” Johnny adds, “to make music that will last.”

Their self-titled debut album, The Parks, suggests they might well accomplish that. Featuring 12 tracks written and produced by The Parks using their own club-honed band, the CD balances a wealth of bedrock sounds from country music’s Outlaw past and rock music’s peak festival years. Solid Waylon-esque backbeats, Clint’s Travis Tritt-like country-soul vocals and twin guitars a la The Eagles and the Allman Brothers Band help to define a sound that connects the current generation with its predecessor.

That sound reflects not just two men, but two generations. The genre is bound to remain a staple of American music for years to come, and The Parks intend to do the same.

“Once music gets in your blood, you’ll do it until the day you die,” Johnny concludes. “You look at a lot of these old guys that are out there—Merle Haggard and a few others—and you wonder, ‘Don’t they have enough money to retire? Why are they still doing it?’ Because they love it. That’s all they know. I guess as long as the fans will keep coming to see them, they’ll keep doing it. And so will we.”

www.myspace.com/theparks