Mary Parks

Wife of Albert Ayler. She wrote most of the lyrics on "New Grass" and wrote (and sung) the lyrics of "Music Is the Healing Force of the Universe" (both 1969). At the end of his short life Jazz-legend Ayler (1936-1970) turned to recording music not too far removed from rock and roll, often with utopian, hippie lyrics provided by Mary Parks. In New York, according to Jeff Schwartz, in his book "Albert Ayler: His Life and Music", Albert met a woman named Mary Parks who became his wife, artistic partner, sometimes stage collaborator and manager of his business affairs.