John Parr
1647134
223567738
2008-07-04T17:34:09Z
69.134.39.35
/* Singles */
{{For|the first British Empire death of World War I|John Parr (soldier)}}
{{For|the Governor of Nova Scotia|John Parr (governor)}}
'''John Parr''' (born [[18 November]] [[1954]], in [[Worksop|Worksop, Nottinghamshire]]) is a British [[musician]]. He achieved some success by having two [[Chart-topper|hits]] in the [[1980s]].
==Biography==
John Parr's first entrance in to [[music]] was when he was 12 years old and formed a [[band (music)|band]] with two fellow schoolmates named The Silence. The band enjoyed considerable success. They eventually became professional and started to tour [[Europe]].
===Ponders End===
When Parr left the band, he joined a group called [[Ponders End]] who were hailed as the 'best live act around' in [[Newcastle Upon Tyne|Newcastle]], along with [[Dire Straits]]. In the end they did not secure a [[music record|record]] deal and the band's chapter in history was closed.
===Work with Meat Loaf===
Parr secured a [[publishing]] deal with Carlin Music in [[1983]] and in the same year [[Meat Loaf]] asked him to write some [[song]]s for his new [[album]]. That led to the fateful meeting with John Wolfe (manager of [[The Who]]). Foreseeing the initial demise of [[The Who]], Wolfe was looking for a new venture and Parr seemed to be the one. 1984 saw Parr's first trip to [[United States|America]]. He worked with Meat Loaf on ''[[Bad Attitude (album)|Bad Attitude]]'' while Wolfe was putting finishing touches on Parr's [[Solo album|solo]] [[Atlantic Records|Atlantic]] recording deal in [[New York]].
===Solo and 'The Business'===
"Naughty Naughty" was Parr's first [[United States|U.S.]] [[top 40]] hit record. The song built his career very quickly by achieving the number 1 position on every rock [[radio station]] in America for up to 12 weeks. 1985 saw Parr on the road with his band "The Business" supporting [[Toto (band)|Toto]], and playing 10,000-seater venues across [[United States|America]]. By the end of the tour, John had a call from one of the world's most successful record producers, [[David Foster]]. He requested Parr to record a song for the film "St Elmo's Fire". Parr and Foster wrote a song in honor of wheelchair athlete and activist [[Rick Hansen]], the song was called "[[St. Elmo's Fire (Man in Motion)]]" which was also became the theme for the [[film|movie]] ''[[St. Elmo's Fire (film)|St. Elmo's Fire]]'' (a "[[Brat Pack]]" film unrelated to Hansen's life and achievements). The song became a [[Chart-topper|Number one]] hit for Parr around the world and garnered many awards, including a [[Grammy]] nomination.
Parr later wrote "Under A Raging Moon" for [[Roger Daltrey]], a song that paid tribute to [[Keith Moon]] and told the story of [[The Who]]. The [[album]] became Daltrey's biggest solo success in America. Parr was soon singing with [[Marilyn Martin]] on the song "Through the Night", from ''[[Quicksilver]]'' soundtrack (1986). Parr wrote and produced further tracks for Martin's debut album, including the hit "Night Moves". A year after,wrote and sang the songs "The Minute I Saw You", from ''[[Three Men and a Baby]]'' soundtrack, and the power ballad "Running Away With You", from ''[[The Running Man]]'' soundtrack (this song was re-released on "Man With a Vision" album, with the title "Restless Heart"). After the success of [[Meat Loaf]]'s album, Parr contributed to the next album with the smash duet hit "Rock & Roll Mercenaries". From there he began work with Albert Magnoli (director of ''[[Purple Rain (movie)|Purple Rain]]'') on the movie ''[[American Anthem]]'' for which he wrote and performed the main theme "Two Hearts".
The [[Pepsi]] Company and Jack Calmes Satellite TV Corporation wanted to try something new - a gig from London beamed live across America, [[Japan]] & [[Australia]] on the college Satellite Network. Parr was the featured act, having done two similar shows (one from the [[Olympic Stadium]] in [[Los Angeles]] where the flame was lit for a special performance of "St. Elmo's Fire", and was beamed live for Japan, and the New Year Christmas Show from London). The show was a great success, reaching almost 50-million people and making broadcast history for the network.
Another dream came true for Parr in 1988 when he was offered the opportunity to collaborate with one of the most successful record producers ever, [[Robert Lange|Robert John "Mutt" Lange]]; (co)producing an album for [[Romeo's Daughter]].
===2000s===
However, after a relatively short period of chart success, John Parr faded into the annals of [[1980s]] musical history. He did briefly regain the limelight in 2006 with the release of a dance remix of "St. Elmo's Fire", entitled "New Horizon". It was credited to John Parr vs. Tommyknockers and reached a modest number 43 in the [[UK Singles Chart]].
On [[26 March]] [[2007]], Parr released "Walking Out of the Darkness", a tribute to [[Doncaster Rovers]] ahead of the club's appearance in the [[Johnstone's Paint Trophy]] final at Cardiff's [[Millennium Stadium]] on [[1 April]] [[2007]].
May 2007 Parr returned to Canada to perform at the Man in Motion 20th Anniversary. Parr's song St Elmo's Fire (Man in Motion) was wheelchair athlete Rick Hansen's anthem, helping him wheel 25,000 miles around the globe and raising awareness and money for spinal research. To date the Rick Hansen foundation has raised $200,000,000.00 and helped build the world's leading research center ICORD in Vancouver.
In June 2007 Parr wrote and recorded the main title for the Sony Pictures "The Brothers Solomon" directed by EMMY award wining director Bob Odenkirk. In July 2007 Parr and his band opened for Bryan Adams at the Keepmoat Stadium in Parr's home town. Twenty years earlier, Parr joined Adams in his home town where they played to 75,000 at the Canadian Exhibition Center Vancouver.
In June 2008, John Parr will be Special Guest for legendary U.S rock band Journey on their UK tour.
==Personal life==
John's son, Ben Parr (19) became an [[actor]] and did his work experience on the set of the [[James Bond]] film ''[[Die Another Day]]''. Ben made his ''[[Hollyoaks]]'' debut on Thursday [[4 January]],[[2006]] as Freddie, the new flat mate of Nancy{{Fact|date=March 2008}}. He has another son named James Parr (18) who attends [[John Leggott College]] in [[Scunthorpe]]. John currently resides in Sykehouse, Doncaster in South Yorkshire.
==Discography==
===Albums===
*1984 ''[[John Parr (album)|John Parr]]'' #48 US
*1986 ''[[Running the Endless Mile]]''
*1992 ''[[Man With a Vision]]''
*1996 ''[[Under Parr]]''
===Singles===
{| class="wikitable"
! Year
! Song
! <small>[[Billboard Hot 100|US Hot 100]]</small>
! <small>[[Mainstream Rock Tracks|US MSR]]</small>
! <small>[[Adult Contemporary chart|US A.C.]]</small>
! <small>[[UK singles chart|UK singles]]</small>
! Album
|-
| 1985
| "Naughty Naughty"
| align="center"|23
| align="center"|6
| align="center"|-
| align="center"|58
| ''John Parr''
|-
| 1985
| "Magical"
| align="center"|73
| align="center"|28
| align="center"|-
| align="center"|-
| ''John Parr''
|-
| 1985
| "[[St. Elmo's Fire (Man in Motion)]]"
| align="center"|'''1'''
| align="center"|2
| align="center"|16
| align="center"|6
| ''[[St. Elmo's Fire (film)|St. Elmo's Fire]] Soundtrack''
|-
| 1985
| "Rock 'n' Roll Mercenaries" <small>(with [[Meat Loaf]])</small>
| align="center"|-
| align="center"|-
| align="center"|-
| align="center"|31
| ''[[Blind Before I Stop]]''
|-
| 1985
| "Love Grammar"
| align="center"|89
| align="center"|-
| align="center"|-
| align="center"|-
| ''John Parr''
|-
| 1986
| "Blame It on the Radio"
| align="center"|88
| align="center"|-
| align="center"|-
| align="center"|-
| ''Running The Endless Mile''
|-
| 1987
| "Running Away With You (Restless Heart)"
| align="center"|-
| align="center"|-
| align="center"|-
| align="center"|-
| ''[[The Running Man (film)|The Running Man]] Soundtrack''
|-
| 2006
| "New Horizon" {re-mix of "St. Elmo's Fire (Man in Motion)" as "John Parr vs. Tommyknockers"}
| align="center"|-
| align="center"|-
| align="center"|-
| align="center"|43
| align="center"|Non-album single
|-
| 2007
| "Out of the Darkness"
| align="center"|-
| align="center"|-
| align="center"|-
| align="center"|-
| align="center"|Non-album single
|}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Parr, John}}
[[Category:1954 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:English rock guitarists]]
[[Category:English rock bass guitarists]]
[[Category:English male singers]]
[[Category:English songwriters]]
[[Category:English rock singers]]
[[Category:People from Worksop]]
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