{{Short description|American jazz pianist, composer and arranger}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Avery Parrish | image = | caption = | image_size = | birth_name = James Avery Parrish<ref name="Blues">Eagle, Bob; LeBlanc, Eric S (2013) ''Blues: A Regional Experience''. Praeger. p. 45.</ref> | alias = | birth_place = Birmingham, Alabama, US | birth_date = January 24, 1917 | death_place = New York City, New York, US | death_date = {{Death date and age|1959|12|10|1917|1|24}} | instrument = Piano | genre = Jazz, blues | occupation = Musician, composer, arranger | years_active = 1930s–1943 | label = | associated_acts = Erskine Hawkins | website = | current_members = | past_members = }}
'''James Avery Parrish''' (January 24, 1917 – December 10, 1959) was an American jazz pianist, composer and arranger. He wrote and recorded "After Hours". Injuries from a bar fight in 1943 ended his career as a pianist.
==Early life== Parrish was born in Birmingham, Alabama.<ref name="AM">{{cite web |url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/avery-parrish-mn0000063735 |title= Avery Parrish – Artist Biography |last1= Yanow |first1= Scott |date= |website= AllMusic |publisher= |accessdate=August 10, 2014}}</ref> His parents were Curley and Fannie G Parrish.<ref name="Blues" /> Avery had at least one brother, who became an educator.<ref>Lambert, Katherine Kent (November 18, 1939) "Birmingham News". ''The Chicago Defender''. p. 10.</ref>
Parrish graduated from Parker High School in Birmingham.<ref name="Pitts">{{cite news|title=Musician Avery Parrish Dies |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/841393/the_pittsburgh_courier/? |newspaper=The Pittsburgh Courier |date=January 2, 1960|page=23|via = Newspapers.com|accessdate = August 10, 2014 }} {{Open access}}</ref> According to a gossip columnist in 1935, Parrish was at that time married to singer Velma Middleton.<ref>McMillan, Allan (November 16, 1935) "Hi Hattin' in Harlem". ''The Chicago Defender''. p. 9.</ref><ref>McMillan, Allan (July 4, 1964) "On Broadway: Private Papers of a Dawn Patroller". ''New Pittsburgh Courier'' p. 15.</ref>
==Later life== Parrish studied at the Alabama State Teachers College, where he played in the Bama State Collegians, an ensemble led by Erskine Hawkins.<ref name="AM" /> He remained in Hawkins's employ until 1942,<ref name="WOR">"'Record Man' Returns to WOR Program" (May 9, 1942) ''The Pittsburgh Courier''. p. 20.</ref> and recorded with him extensively. Parrish wrote the music to "After Hours", and a 1940 recording of the tune with Hawkins's orchestra resulted in its becoming a jazz standard. He also wrote arrangements for Hawkins.<ref>McCarthy, Albert J (1974) ''Big Band Jazz''. Putnam. p. 233.</ref>
In August 1942 Parrish was injured in a car crash that killed Marcellus Green, one of Hawkins's trumpeters.<ref name="crash">"Erskine Hawkins Bandsman Is Killed: Hawkins Bandsman Killed in Accident Avery Parrish, Pianist. Among Others Hurt in Auto Capsizing". (August 15, 1942) ''New York Amsterdam Star-News''. p. 1.</ref> They were in a group of five in the vehicle, driving between Pittsburgh and Chattanooga to gigs when it overturned.<ref>"Hawkins Band Member Dies in Car Crash". (August 15, 1942) ''The Pittsburgh Courier''. p. 1.</ref> Parrish left Hawkins later that year<ref name="WOR" /><ref>"Rowe's Notebook". (October 17, 1942) ''The Pittsburgh Courier''. p. 20.</ref> and moved to California.<ref name="AM" /> He was a commercially successful solo pianist there.<ref name="Shaw">Shaw, Arnold (1978) ''Honkers and Shouters: The Golden Years of Rhythm and Blues''. Collier. p. 60. {{ISBN|978-0-02-061760-0}}.</ref> He was involved in a bar fight in 1943<ref>"Avery Parrish, Erskine Hawkins' Swing Pianist, Is Still Alive!". (August 14, 1943) ''The Pittsburgh Courier''. p. 20.</ref> – he was hit in the head by a bar stool<ref name="Shaw" /> – which put him in hospital for a few months.<ref>"Avery Parrish Leaves Hospital". (November 6, 1943) ''The Pittsburgh Courier''. p. 19.</ref> This left him partly paralyzed; he was unable to play music for the rest of his life.<ref name="AM" />
Parrish died of unknown causes<ref name="AM" /> on December 10, 1959.<ref name="Blues" /><ref>Bruyninckx, Walter (1981) ''60 Years of Recorded Jazz 1917–1977, Volume 9''. W. Bruyninckx. p. 97.</ref> A contemporary report stated that he "had been found lying in Harlem streets five days before he died at the Harlem Hospital. There were no marks of violence on his body."<ref name="Pitts" /> Author and music executive Arnold Shaw stated that Parrish suffered "a fall down a flight of stairs".<ref name="Shaw" /> At the time, Parrish was living with his mother on Saint Nicholas Avenue and "working as a porter for a local bottling company."<ref name="death" /> He was buried in Ferncliff Cemetery, New York.<ref name="death">"Avery Parrish Pianist Dies; Was Composer". (December 19, 1959) ''New York Amsterdam News''. p. 38.</ref> He was survived by his mother and a brother, Julian.<ref name="death" />
In 1979, Parrish was inducted into the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame.
==References== {{reflist|30em}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Parrish, Avery}} Category:1917 births Category:1959 deaths Category:American jazz pianists Category:American male jazz pianists Category:20th-century American pianists Category:Jazz musicians from Alabama Category:Bama State Collegians members Category:Burials at Ferncliff Cemetery Category:A. H. Parker High School alumni Category:20th-century American male pianists