John William Parker II, known professionally as Knocky Parker, was born on August 8, 1918, in Palmer, Texas. He was known for his work in ragtime and Dixieland jazz. Parker began his musical career with Western swing bands like The Wanderers and the Light Crust Doughboys before serving in World War II. After the war, he collaborated with musicians such as Zutty Singleton and Albert Nicholas. Parker also pursued an academic career as an English professor at Kentucky Wesleyan College and the University of South Florida. He recorded extensively for labels including Euphonic, GHB, Jazzology, Progressive, Audiophile, and Texstar. Notably, he was one of the first to record all known ragtime pieces by Scott Joplin at Audiophile. In 1984, Parker received a Grammy Award nomination with Big Joe Turner for their collaborative album Big Joe Turner with Knocky Parker and His Houserockers. He passed away on September 3, 1986, in Los Angeles, California.
