Charlie Parr

Singer, songwriter, and guitarist Charlie Parr is a Minnesota-based roots musician whose organic style is deeply tied to the blues and folk traditions of an earlier era. Raised on the music of Charley Patton, Lead Belly, Rev. Gary Davis, and Woody Guthrie, Parr's blue-collar upbringing in the city of Austin, Minnesota (home of Hormel Foods and SPAM) and its rural surroundings are reflected in his life and musical styles. Throughout the 2000s, he toured constantly and released numerous albums either independently or on small labels. In the latter part of the decade, he became a surprise success in Australia when one of his songs was used in a popular commercial. In the 2010s, Parr found a steady home on the Red House label and delivered standout albums like Stumpjumper (2015) and Dog (2017) before an accident temporarily left him unable to play guitar. Following his recovery, he returned with an eponymous 2019 album that mixed new songs with updated versions of highlights from his canon.