By Paula Diaz
Features Editor
Three years after his graduation from Asbury, Abe Parker has begun to truly fulfill his dream.
“I’ve always kind of known what I wanted to do since I was a kid. There was this ska band that I used to listen to as a kid and I went and saw them at a music festival in Ohio. When they performed the whole entire audience jumped up and down and I remember thinking that I wanted to do something like that.”
But where Abe is now has been a long time coming. It wasn’t until one of his best friend’s bands broke up back in 2008 that he was able to establish a solid musical group and host his first concert in the Student Center, after only a couple months at Asbury.
“I prayed the most selfish prayer and said, ‘Heavenly Father, can you please break up their band so that we can start playing music together?’ And sure enough, a couple of months later we were able to start a band and get things going at Asbury.”
From playing just about anywhere that would give him the chance, Abe’s start led him to grow as a musician, giving him the chance to even perform at the Ichthus Music Festival his sophomore year at Asbury. But as he kept maturing in his love and passion, he made the decision to take a dif- ferent route his senior year- one where he was on his own.
Finding his inspiration in singers like Frank Sinatra and Nat King Cole and playing a style much like Maroon 5 and John Mayer’s, he’s been able to lay down the foundation for his own musical career. “The Lord has totally provided for me over the past two years. I moved to Atlanta after gradu- ation knowing only two people there and expecting to sleep in my car and play in the streets. The day after I graduated I felt like my life was over…but it’s totally not true. It wasn’t until I graduated that I felt like I was finally able and prepared to do what I wanted to do…now I’m working with some of the biggest names in the business.”
From opening for Switchfoot to Andy Grammer and David Crowder, Abe has built the connec- tions to help him mature even more as his career begins to take off. But from all the individuals he’s opened for or worked with, he’s most excited about his current vocal coach. “Jan Smith is a vocal coach for just about anybody out there…she’s a great lady who’s helping me as I make decisions with some record deals that I’m sorting through right now. She’s so great… the Lord just keeps providing beyond belief.”
But with a busy schedule and several events scheduled in the months to come, Abe’s biggest request has been for prayer. “I’m kind of at a point right now career-wise where some doors have been opened with a couple of different music labels right now. I really need wisdom because I feel like the Lord has placed me in a middleman sort of situation with both feet in both worlds and I want to be able to hear the good…I mean, how cool would it be if people around the world could hear my songs…I think it’s possible but I know prayer is what I need most right now.”
Even with all that he’s been able to accomplish and do with his career just a few years after graduation, the main person Abe always goes back to thank is the Lord. “Jesus has done so much for me and it has totally been amazing to do what I do…He provides in so many unexpected ways and it’s absolutely incredible. The Lord is huge and chasing after Him is so big, anything outside of that is truly disappointing.”