American Musician. He was a lifelong banjo player and founder of the legendary Bluegrass Cardinals. He moved to California when he was a very young boy, where he developed a fascination with bluegrass music and the banjo. In the early 1960s, he was a founding member of The Hillmen, also known as The Golden State Boys, which included future icons Vern Gosdin and Chris Hillman. The Hillmen appeared frequently on television, a connection that proved very valuable with Don being tapped to play all the incidental banjo music for the huge CBS hit program, 'The Beverly Hillbillies' in the ’60s. Earl Scruggs played on the show’s prominent theme song. When Hillman left the band in 1974 to accept a job with The Byrds, The Hillmen disbanded and Parmley started The Bluegrass Cardinals with his son, David, who was only 15 years old at the time the group debuted, and Randy Graham. In 1976, they moved from southern California to Virginia and cut their self-titled debut album, followed by their 1977 record, 'Welcome to Virginia'. These two albums quickly cemented the "Cardinal sound," which dealt mainly with the intricate harmonies centered around David's lead vocal, his dad's baritone, and Graham's high tenor. They recorded several albums in the late '70s and early '80s and made several appearances on the Grand Ole Opry before settling with Sugar Hill Records for three albums between 1983-1986. In 1991, Parmleys took a short hiatus to record 'Parmley and McCoury', with Del McCoury and his two sons, Ronnie and Rob. The Bluegrass Cardinals continued on until 1997, when Don Parmley announced his retirement from the music business. In late 2002, CMH Productions released a collection titled 'The Essential Bluegrass Cardinals'.
American Musician. He was a lifelong banjo player and founder of the legendary Bluegrass Cardinals. He moved to California when he was a very young boy, where he developed a fascination with bluegrass music and the banjo. In the early 1960s, he was a founding member of The Hillmen, also known as The Golden State Boys, which included future icons Vern Gosdin and Chris Hillman. The Hillmen appeared frequently on television, a connection that proved very valuable with Don being tapped to play all the incidental banjo music for the huge CBS hit program, 'The Beverly Hillbillies' in the ’60s. Earl Scruggs played on the show’s prominent theme song. When Hillman left the band in 1974 to accept a job with The Byrds, The Hillmen disbanded and Parmley started The Bluegrass Cardinals with his son, David, who was only 15 years old at the time the group debuted, and Randy Graham. In 1976, they moved from southern California to Virginia and cut their self-titled debut album, followed by their 1977 record, 'Welcome to Virginia'. These two albums quickly cemented the "Cardinal sound," which dealt mainly with the intricate harmonies centered around David's lead vocal, his dad's baritone, and Graham's high tenor. They recorded several albums in the late '70s and early '80s and made several appearances on the Grand Ole Opry before settling with Sugar Hill Records for three albums between 1983-1986. In 1991, Parmleys took a short hiatus to record 'Parmley and McCoury', with Del McCoury and his two sons, Ronnie and Rob. The Bluegrass Cardinals continued on until 1997, when Don Parmley announced his retirement from the music business. In late 2002, CMH Productions released a collection titled 'The Essential Bluegrass Cardinals'.
Bio by: Louis du Mort
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