Will Parker

Houston, TX

$500 and up

Travels up to 200 miles

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Promotional video thumbnail 1 for Will Parker

Tulsa Libraries - 2017

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The Insect Song

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Why Am I Not A Monkey? Music Video

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The Pony Song

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Dinosaur Disco

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Overview

Will Parker is a children's songwriter and teaching artist, making music for "kids ages 1-100." During Will's whimsical and interactive shows, he plays guitar and harmonica and sings songs that open us up to the world of imagination while simultaneously validating the human experience. A fan favorite at each of Will's show is an improvised song based on topic suggestions from the audience. Additionally, he presents programs on songwriting, the creative process, improvisation, theatre, and story-telling. If you're looking for children's music for your birthday party or special event, look no further! Will lives in Texas but frequently travels the country.


Reviews

35 reviews

Small thumbnail image for reviewer Lucy J.

Lucy J.

August 1, 2024

Our New Favorite Kids Musician

We got to see Will Parker as part of our Summer Reading Program and he's our new favorite kids musician! My kids have been requesting the imagination album on repeat for weeks. Its been great to see them acting out the songs and doing the call and response in the back seat. If my car had a CD player I'd have bought an album <3
Hope he'll be back next year!

Hired as: Children’s Music


Small thumbnail image for reviewer Angela M.

Angela M.

June 9, 2023

A Librarian's Favorite

I had an absolute blast with the kids and caregivers at this event! Will Parker makes regular appearances at my library for the Summer Reading Program but it had been a few years since we had him perform at the branch I work at. I will be asking for his return! The children enjoyed how creative his music was while encorprating their names into his songs on the spot! By the end, everyone was a little sweaty and very smiley. Thank you, Will Parker!

Hired as: Children’s Music, One Man Band, Singing Guitarist


Small thumbnail image for reviewer Yanina D.

Yanina D.

August 17, 2022
Verified review

Wonderful

Will was wonderful, such a fun and happy music for kids.

Hired as: Children’s Party Entertainment


Small thumbnail image for reviewer Lisette L.

Lisette L.

March 21, 2021
Verified review

Amazing performance

We loved every bit of it! He is also extremely nice and gives such a good energy from meeting him and his energy performing for the little ones; adults enjoyed it very much... will definitely book him again!

Hired as: Children’s Music, Children’s Party Entertainment, Guitarist, Interactive Performer, One Man Band, Singer/Songwriter, Singing Guitarist

Small thumbnail image for Will Parker

Will Parker

Thanks, Lisette! It was a pleasure playing Matteo’s party!


Small thumbnail image for reviewer Lela J. S.

Lela J. S.

August 12, 2019
Verified review

Fun and Inspiring for Kids 1-100!

Will Parker's extraordinary gift is his ability to captivate and engage every audience member, regardless of age. His program of singing and clapping, laughing and dancing captures both the imagination and the heart. Will incorporated requested themes with ease and humor. Hope we can host another appearance by Will next time he's in the area.

Hired as: Variety Entertainer

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Booking information

Price range: $500 and up

Languages: English

Gig length: 30 - 180 minutes

Insurance: $1,000,000 - K&K

What to expect

During Will's whimsical and interactive shows, he plays guitar and harmonica and sings original songs that engage the audience in singing-along, dancing, high-fiving, and imaginative play. The kids even help Will create an improvised song through their suggestions and input on what should happen next in the impromptu story. Will also engages the kids in conversation about how every person can be creative and that writing a song is something they can do too. The kids learn that songs are a great way to tell stories--their own stories too!

About

Will Parker is a children's songwriter and teaching artist who writes and performs music for "kids ages 1 - 100." During Will's whimsical and interactive shows, he plays guitar and harmonica and sings original songs that engage the audience in singing-along, dancing, high-fiving, and imaginative play. The kids even help Will create an improvised song through their suggestions and input on what should happen next in the impromptu story. Will also engages the kids in conversation about how every person can be creative and that writing a song is something they can do too. The kids learn that songs are a great way to tell stories--their own stories too!

Will holds both a Master of Arts in Teaching and a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre from Trinity University and served as the theatre director at KIPP University Prep High School for four years before leaping into life as a full-time musician. During the year and every summer, he tours the country playing shows at libraries, schools, daycares, museums, churches, camps and festivals. He recorded two full length children's album with his collaborator, Sam Fuller.
While in San Antonio, he was deeply involved in improv scene where he performed with San Antonio’s first musical improv troupe, When Can Do. He also worked with the Magik Children’s Theatre as an actor in their touring troupe, a coach for their youth improv group and as a teaching artist for their X-celerated Theatre program for incarcerated youth.

Will has a passion for helping young people learn the self-love and confidence they need to unlock their innately creative selves. In 2018, Will felt called to pursue his mission in a new direction--by going to seminary. He is currently attending Yale Divinity School where he is involved in Yale Divinity Drama, Yale Divinity Interfaith Club, and Berkeley Divinity School--the Episcopal seminary at Yale. As he discerns a call to school chaplaincy, he continues to perform music, facilitate workshops, give talks, and teach young people through the arts. Deeply inspired by Mr. Rogers, he hopes he can make a difference in the lives of kids in a similar way--through sharing uplifting music, encouraging imaginative play, offering tools to navigate emotional landscapes, and by reminding each and every person of their inherent value and worth.

Will performs all over Texas and will travel anywhere in the continental United States!
Alabama Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut
Delaware Florida Georgia Idaho
Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas
Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland
Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi
Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada
New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York
North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma
Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina
South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah
Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia
Wisconsin Wyoming

Additional booking notes

Technical requirements are very minimal. I can provide my own equipment (mic, amp, etc.) or I can use provided sound equipment (PA system, etc.)

Past booked events

August 2022

16

Tuesday

Children’s Birthday Party

10:00am - 10:30am

Wilton, CT

August 2021

19

Thursday

Concert

11:00am - 12:00pm

Fall River, MA

March 2021

27

Saturday

Children’s Birthday Party

5:00pm - 6:00pm

San Antonio, TX

20

Saturday

Children’s Birthday Party

6:00pm - 6:45pm

Houston, TX

July 2020

17

Friday

Nonprofit Event

10:00am - 10:45am

Marion, KS

August 2019

11

Sunday

Religious Celebration

9:30am - 10:30am

Houston, TX

August 2017

12

Saturday

The Twig Book Shop - San Antonio, TX

10:30am - 11:15am

July 2017

21

Friday

Schertz, TX Library

1:00pm - 1:45pm

20

Thursday

New Braunfels, TX Library

6:00pm - 6:45pm

20

Thursday

New Braunfels, TX Library

2:00pm - 2:45pm

20

Thursday

New Braunfels Library

10:30am - 11:15am

19

Wednesday

Taylor, TX Library

10:30am - 11:15am

18

Tuesday

Library at Cedar Creek

1:00pm - 1:45pm

18

Tuesday

Library at Cedar Creek

10:30am - 11:15am

17

Monday

Round Rock, TX Library

6:30pm - 7:15pm

17

Monday

Round Rock, TX Library

4:00pm - 4:45pm

17

Monday

Children's Courtyard

10:00am - 10:45am

15

Saturday

Bryan College Station, TX Library

2:00pm - 2:45pm

07

Friday

The Colony Library

10:00am - 10:45am

06

Thursday

Electra, TX Library

2:00pm - 2:45pm

05

Wednesday

Wichita Falls, TX Library

2:00pm - 2:45pm

01

Saturday

Eulass, TX Library

2:00pm - 2:45pm

June 2017

30

Friday

Lakeshore Library Buchanan Dam, TX

2:30pm - 3:15pm

30

Friday

Kingsland, TX Library

11:00am - 11:45am

29

Thursday

Smith Welch Library - Hearne, TX

2:00pm - 2:45pm

29

Thursday

Temple, TX Library

10:30am - 11:15am

28

Wednesday

Palestine, TX Library

10:30am - 11:15am

27

Tuesday

Palestine, TX Library

10:00am - 10:45am

24

Saturday

Abilene Public Library

10:30am - 11:15pm

20

Tuesday

Bentonville, AR Library

10:30am - 11:15am

19

Monday

Fayetteville, AR Library

6:30pm - 7:15pm

19

Monday

Muskogee, OK Library

2:00pm - 2:45pm

17

Saturday

Sanger, TX Library

10:30am - 11:15am

16

Friday

Hutto, TX Library

10:30am - 11:15am

15

Thursday

St. Paul's Episcopal School

10:00am - 10:45am

14

Wednesday

Davis Library - Plano, TX

3:00pm - 3:45pm

14

Wednesday

Hewitt, TX Library

10:30am - 11:15am

12

Monday

Del Rio, TX Library

1:00pm - 1:45pm

12

Monday

Del Rio, TX Library

10:30am - 11:15am

09

Friday

Smith Library - Wylie, TX

9:00am - 12:00pm

03

Saturday

Birthday (Child)

10:00am - 10:30am

San Antonio, TX

April 2017

30

Sunday

The Cat and the Bird - McNay Museum - SATX

2:00pm - 3:00pm

29

Saturday

King William Fair

1:30pm - 2:00pm

08

Saturday

Easter Egg Hunt

10:30am - 11:15pm

01

Saturday

Family Fun Fair

11:00am - 12:00pm

July 2016

23

Saturday

Vance Air Force Base - Enid, OK

1:00pm - 3:00pm

22

Friday

Sanger Public Library - Sanger, TX

2:00pm - 2:45pm

22

Friday

Melissa Public Library - Melissa, TX

10:00am - 10:45am

21

Thursday

White Rhino Coffee - Cedar Hill, TX

8:00pm - 10:00pm

21

Thursday

Dogwood Canyon Audubon Center - Cedar Hill, TX

2:00pm - 3:00pm

21

Thursday

Bell County Museum - Belmont, TX

9:15am - 9:45am

20

Wednesday

Bell County Museum - Belmont, TX

3:00pm - 4:00pm

20

Wednesday

St. Paul's Episcopal Day School - Waco, TX

10:00am - 11:00am

19

Tuesday

The Children's Courtyard - Austin, TX

10:00am - 11:00am

June 2016

27

Monday

Eanes ISD Summer Blast

10:00am - 11:00am

11

Saturday

Birthday Party

10:00am - 11:00am

05

Sunday

Graduation Party

7:00pm - 8:00pm

May 2016

14

Saturday

District Picnic - San Antonio, TX

12:00pm - 1:00pm

April 2016

29

Friday

The DoSeum's First Birthday - San Antonio, TX

7:00pm - 8:00pm

23

Saturday

King William Fair - San Antonio, TX

10:00am - 12:00pm

18

Monday

Fiesta River Parade with DoSeum - San Antonio, TX

8:00pm - 10:00pm

02

Saturday

Birthday Party - Austin, TX

12:00pm - 1:00pm

March 2016

19

Saturday

Morgan's Wonderland

2:00pm - 3:00pm

05

Saturday

Birthday Party - Helotes, TX

12:00pm - 1:00pm

February 2016

13

Saturday

Holiday Party (Other)

7:00pm - 9:00pm

Burleson, TX

07

Sunday

San Antonio Museum of Art

7:00pm - 8:00pm

January 2016

25

Monday

Western Day at Allen Elementary - San Antonio, TX

9:00am - 10:00am

December 2015

12

Saturday

Birthday Party - Houston, TX

12:00pm - 1:00pm

Set list

Animal Maniac
High Five Yourself!
I'm A Dragon
All My Friends Are Robots
Amanda the Dancing Panda
Why Am I Not A Monkey?
Hip-Hop Bunny Hop
I'm A Bear Now
We're the Only Woolly Mammoths Left
The Insect Song
Bilgus the Swamp Dwarf
Wizard Pig
Nomadic Gnomes
Pony Sounds
All My Friends Are Robots
Pizza Knights
Kitty Cat Parade
Imagine Time
Fairy Lobster Anthem
Moosic
Ow Ow Owl
Oscar the Ogre's Frozen Yogurt Stand
Rainbow Mermaid Detective Jones
Unicorn on a Unicycle
Raised by Penguins

Influences and inspiration

They Might Be Giants, Bob Dylan, The Beatles, Secret Agent 23 Skidoo, Kimya Dawson, Talking Heads, The Apples in Stereo, The Mountain Goats

Setup requirements

No items required

Testimonials

Will and I have worked together for several years now. He is a delight to be around, and work with. I love working with him whether we're making music or not. Will a real class act, and a hilarious one at that. If you're looking for someone who is phenomenal with kids and adults, this man can do so in a way few people are able.

– Blake

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