Big Jerry (2)

Big Jerry “Bluesman” Parnell was born June 28th 1957 in Shaw, Mississippi to Lotie B. Parnell. In 1967 the Parnell family moved to Helena, Arkansas where Big Jerry spent his formative years being educated at West Helena High School as well as a brief attendance at Helena community college. Big Jerry has always had an ear for music, especially gospel and the blues. He demonstrated his talent of performance by playing with local Delta recording artists such as Nathaniel Jefferson and the Shades of Black Band. Big Jerry has also played with recording artists such as the Little Sam Carr Band, Frank Frost, Big Jack Johnson and Rooster Records recording artist Lonnie “T-Bone” Shields and M.T. Leon. In 1983, Big Jerry moved to Memphis, Tennessee and began playing blues at numerous night clubs and juke joints on Beale Street, at musical events in W.C. Handy Park and at a myriad of International Blues festivals throughout the country. To date, he has written and recorded three blues albums which capture the pulse and feel of the Delta Blues sound.