SHARPS, The

Homebase: Bremerton, WA
Stats: 1958-60
Misc Notes: Allyn Lee Parker was born in 1942, grew up in Gorst, Washington, and lived in the Aero trailer park off Belfair Valley Road. As a teenager he began offering other local kids guitar lessons. In 1958 he formed the area’s first rock band, the Sharps, which often played dances at Perl's Dance Pavilion in Bremerton, as well as the dancehall on the Lemola Indian Reservation, and the Horseshoe Lake Dance Hall. In time, they would also play gigs over in Tacoma, and inspired by the Wailers’ success with their debut instrumental hit, “Tall Cool One,” in 1959, the Sharps recorded their own single, “Double Clutch,” for Tacoma’s Star-Hi label. In 1960 the Sharps became one of the first white bands to gig at Seattle’s Birdland, and soon after Parker regrouped by adding a few recent bandmates of young Jimmy Hendrix – Robert Green (piano), Anthony Atherton (sax), and Butch Snipes (guitar) -- to his band. Parker’s skills were recognized and he was often asked to work as a substitute guitarist for various top local groups including: the Wailers, Dave Lewis Combo, George Griffin Trio, Gallahads, Statics, Continentals, Centuries, the Bluenotes, the Reason Four, and the Joe Faker Band. Parker also sang on several solo pop singles. After getting his college degree, he married, raised a family, and worked as a substance abuse counselor. Married again, he lived for years in Vancouver, WA, before passing on in 2010.

Original Lineup:
Larry Stewart ~ Saxophone
Don Swanlund ~ Steel Guitar
Lee Parker ~ Guitar, Vocals (1942-2010)
Bud Osgood ~ Drums
Norman McVeigh ~ Guitar

Other members:
Danny Peterson ~ Saxophone
Keith Shoemaker ~ Saxophone
Jim MacIntyre ~ Bass
Art Welle ~ Piano
Roy Hawkins ~ Piano

1960 Seattle iteration of the Sharps:
Lee Parker ~ Guitar, Vocals
Anthony Atherton ~ Saxophone
Robert Green ~ Piano
Ranleigh "Butch"" Snipes ~ Bass
James Adams ~ Drums

SEE ALSO:
1.) PARKER, LEE
2.) CONTINENTALS, THE

 

"Anthony Atherton, tenor sax, was and is a close friend and I lived with Anthony at his parents home in Seattle between 1959 and 1962. During the same time period I played with the Continentals, the Centuries and filled in for the Dave Lewis Combo, the Wailers, the Statics and the Gallahads when Tiny Tony was a member."

Lee Parker, April 2008 correspondence with pnwbands.com website, (courtesy of webmaster Sam Carlson)

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