Van Dyke Parks

Van Dyke Parks

Van Dyke Parks is an American composer, arranger, producer, instrumentalist, singer-songwriter, author and actor from Hattiesburg, Mississippi, and based in Pasadena, California. Born in 1943, he is associated with experimental, psychedelic, pop and baroque pop music, and he also works under the name Doug Legacy & The Legends of the West. He is signed to Bananastan.

Career and collaborations

Parks is best known for his collaborations with Brian Wilson, particularly for his lyrical work on The Beach Boys’ Smile. He works with a wide range of artists, including Phil Ochs, Tim Buckley, Haruomi Hosono, The Byrds, Rufus Wainwright, Harry Nilsson, Randy Newman, Ry Cooder, U2, Joanna Newsom, Inara George, Keith Moon, Frank Zappa, Harpers Bizarre, Little Feat, Ringo Starr, Silverchair and Skrillex.

Solo releases and recorded work

His solo and collaborative discography includes the studio albums Song Cycle, Discover America, Clang of the Yankee Reaper, Jump!, Tokyo Rose and Songs Cycled, as well as Orange Crate Art with Brian Wilson. He also releases the live album Moonlighting: Live at the Ash Grove. His first official release is the 1966 single “Number Nine”, a modernised version of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony backed with “Do What You Wanta”.

Film and television

Parks also works in film scoring. Over the years he directs, arranges, produces and composes soundtracks for many motion pictures and television programmes.

Musical influences

As a child, Parks develops a strong interest in older American music, especially Tin Pan Alley. That interest in Depression-era songwriting shapes his artistic aims in the 1960s and later. He is also influenced by Spike Jones and Les Paul, which leads him towards studio experimentation within pop music.