Billy Parker (singer)
Billy Parker | |
|---|---|
| Background information | |
| Born | July 19, 1937 |
| Died | January 19, 2026 (aged 88) Tulsa, Oklahoma, U.S. |
| Genres | Country |
| Occupation | Singer |
| Instruments |
|
| Years active | 1959–2026 |
| Labels |
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Billy Parker (July 19, 1937 – January 19, 2026) was an American country music disc jockey and singer. Parker was named Disc Jockey of the Year by the Country Music Association in 1974 and by the Academy of Country Music in 1975, 1977, 1978 and 1984.[1] He was inducted into the Country Music Disc Jockey Hall of Fame in 1992, the Western Swing Hall of Fame in 1993, and received the Oklahoma Association of Broadcasters' Lifetime Achievement Award in 1995.[1]
Life and career
Parker was born in Tuskegee, Creek County, Oklahoma, on July 19, 1937.[2] Between 1976 and 1989, Parker charted more than twenty singles on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart. His highest-charting single, "(Who's Gonna Sing) The Last Country Song," peaked at No. 41 in 1982. He also reached the Top 10 on the RPM Country Tracks chart in Canada with the song "You Are My Angel" in 1988.[3]
Parker died at a hospital in Tulsa, Oklahoma on January 19, 2026, aged 88.[4]
Discography
Albums
| Year | Album | Label |
|---|---|---|
| 1965 | If I Make It Through The Night | Pride |
| 1967 | From Me To You | Luck |
| 1976 | Average Man | Sunshine |
| 1977 | Billy Parker | Sunshine Country |
| 1982 | (Who's Gonna Sing) The Last Country Song | Soundwaves |
| 1983 | Something Old Something New | Soundwaves |
| 1988 | Always Country | Canyon Creek |
| 1991 | I'll Speak Out For You, Jesus | Canyon Creek |
| 1996 | Swingin' With Bob | Sim |
Singles
| Year | Single | Chart Positions | Album | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Country | CAN Country | |||
| 1976 | "It's Bad When You're Caught (With the Goods)" | 79 | — | Average Man |
| 1977 | "Lord, If I Make It to Heaven Can I Bring My Own Angel Along" | 71 | — | singles only |
| "What Did I Promise Her Last Night" | 75 | — | ||
| "If You Got to Have It Your Way (I'll Go Mine)" | 94 | — | ||
| 1978 | "You Read Between the Lines" | 62 | — | |
| "If There's One Angel Missing (She's Here in My Arms Tonight)" | 81 | — | ||
| "Until the Next Time" | 50 | — | ||
| "Pleasin' My Woman" | 73 | — | ||
| 1979 | "Thanks E.T. Thanks a Lot" | 98 | — | |
| "Thanks a Lot" | 80 | — | ||
| "Tough Act to Follow" | 82 | — | ||
| 1981 | "Better Side of Thirty" | 74 | — | |
| "I'll Drink to That" | 53 | — | ||
| 1982 | "I See an Angel Every Day" | 51 | — | |
| "(Who's Gonna Sing) The Last Country Song" | 41 | — | ||
| "If I Ever Need a Lady" (with Cal Smith) | 53 | — | ||
| "Too Many Irons in the Fire" (with Cal Smith) | 68 | — | ||
| 1983 | "Who Said Love Was Fair" | 68 | — | |
| "Love Don't Know a Lady (From a Honky Tonk Girl)" | 59 | — | ||
| 1987 | "You Don't Have to Drive Me Crazy" | — | 55 | |
| 1988 | "You Are My Angel" | 72 | 10 | Always Country |
| "She's Sittin' Pretty" | 81 | 9 | ||
| 1989 | "It's Fine for Your Dreams to Come True" | 87 | 50 | |
References
- ^ a b "Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame Inductees". Archived from the original on April 29, 2011. Retrieved January 20, 2026.
- ^ Billy Parker Biography, AllMusic
- ^ "RPM Country Tracks". Archived from the original on October 12, 2012. Retrieved February 5, 2010.
- ^ Legendary KVOO DJ Billy Parker dies at the age of 88, newson6.com. Accessed March 2, 2026.
External links
- Billy Parker at Allmusic
- Billy Parker discography at Discogs
- Voices of Oklahoma interview. First person interview conducted on April 16, 2012, with Billy Parker.