Bill Parker & his Motherscratchers

About Bill Parker & his Motherscratchers

Bill Parker is a hootin’, hollerin’ whammin’ jammin’ old tyme country outfit hailing from Detroit, Michigan. You can call it bluegrass, honky-tonk, country, americana, or rockabilly, but they call it rock and roll. Bill Parker brings their own whiskey-soaked brand of forlorn, foot-stomping ditties with topics ranging from drinking and dying, to loneliness and the lord.

Bill Parker first appeared in rural Michigan in1997 as a two-piece guitar team. Arlo Pickens belted out the tunes and plucked an acoustic guitar while Hank Diesel played lead with an electric guitar. They played several shows in various dives and basements throughout Michigan. In December 1999, Ronnie Nashville was added on drums, playing a diverse kit made of boxes, cans, and bottles. Ronnie’s next show with Bill Parker wouldn’t be until the summer of 2000, where he switched to bass guitar. Something was still missing. While recording at Sonic Doom Studios in December of 2000, Jerry Bayou, a long time friend of the band, was asked to provide some drums for the demo tapes. The last piece of the puzzle was put into place.

Bill Parker’s first full-length album, Hell Toupee’, is being released on Wrecked’em Records in Memphis, and should be out in mid-2002. Stereo Demonstrator Records, from Chicago, will be releasing a live album in early 2002.

The four-piece version of Bill Parker, commonly found today, first publicly assembled in May of 2001. Its current members, culled from various hardcore, punk, and metal bands, are all united by a common love of country and Midwestern. Bill Parker’s influences include The Carter Family, Ween, The Rolling Stones, Hank Williams Sr., Tom Waits, The Louvin Brothers, The Clash, and Johnny Cash. In conclusion, they will rock you.

“If I had a band like you guys when I was younger, I really could’ve made something of myself.”
- Hasil Adkins

“We’re more rock than a television flyin’ out of a hotel window and we’re more country than the guy who picks it up and takes it home.”
- Arlo Pickens

“If you want to feed Bill Parker, place the food on the ground and back away slowly.”
- Bill Parker (deceased)