Remixing Biographies: Theo Parrish

Below is a rewrite of Theo Parrish’s biography as found on NTS and RA, complemented with information found on Allmusic; an attempt at improving the basics — using the active voice, removing clichés, putting the emphasis on the right places, fixing punctuation and spelling, and generally shortening things — it is also a personal exercise in applying “The Elements of Style”.

Born in Washington D.C. in 1972, and raised in Chicago, IL. Theo Parrish developed a love of music from an early age: Miles Davis, Stevie Wonder, Jimi Hendrix, Nina Simone, George Gershwin, Bob Marley, as well as his uncle, jazz musician Dexter Sims—these were all part of Theo’s musical upbringing. As Theo began to spin and produce at age 13, he took artists from Chicago’s House scene — such as Ron Hardy, Larry Heard, Lil Louis, Farley Jackmaster Funk, Gene Hunt, Mike Dunn, Frankie Knuckles, Walter Get Down Brown and Andre Hatchett — as further source of inspiration.

After graduating from the Academy for the Arts, and with a scholarship to the Kansas City Art Institute in his pocket, Theo furthered his music through the study of sculpture. Live instruments, looped recordings, the human voice, and numerous other sound generating devices provided him with the raw elements for the orchestrations he developed acquiring a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from KCAI with a concentration in Sound Sculpture.

During his time in Kansas City, Theo helped bring a dormant local underground music scene to life. When he moved back to Michigan in 1994, he continued his efforts with eclectic DJ sets held in venues throughout Detroit and the surrounding area. His production work started with a release on the B-side of a Moodymann 12" in 1995, and a solo release, the Baby Steps EP, followed in 1996. A year later, Theo launched the label that would become his musical home: Sound Signature.

Over the following decades, while Theo earned the attention and respect of both his fellow professionals and the public, his philosophy remained simple: “Love of the music should be the driving force of any producer, performer or DJ. Everything else stems from that core, that love. With that love, sampling can become a tribute; An expansion on ideas long forgotten, reconstruction, collage. Using the same understanding openly and respectfully can turn DJing into a spiritual participation. It can turn a few hours of selection into essential history; Necessary listening through movement.”

A captivating storyteller, Theo Parrish maintains a residency on NTS Radio.