Todd Parrott interview

Todd Parrot joins me on episode 80.

Todd is a gospel harmonica player who was inspired to play harmonica after first hearing it in church. He went on to join the church band and has gone on to develop a heavenly tone on the instrument. Todd listened to a lot of country harmonica and was influenced from several players from that genre, including Terry McMillan. 

Todd released a self-produced solo album, Songs From The Harp, where he learned to play several instruments to accompany his harmonica playing, as well as using other musicians. He is also a sought after session musician, appearing on albums from numerous recording artists.

Todd has run the Carolina HarpFest harmonica camp and is a regular at the annual SPAH event. He makes use of alternative tunings, makes his own combs and is an overblow player.

Links:

Todd’s website:
http://www.toddparrott.com/

Carolina Harp Fest:
http://www.toddparrott.com/carolina-harp-fest.html

Joe Spiers Custom harmonicas:
https://spiersharmonicas.com/

Hohner Golden Melody live launch stream (23/02/23):
https://www.hohner.de/en/community/news/news-details/product-launch-event-livestream

Videos:

Playing with Buddy Green at SPAH:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HvN9XsOEdWA

Playing Amazing Grace at SPAH:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJ2kom7jv6g

Todd reviews Joe Spiers custom harps:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UzrEg97RzLI

Todd playing a Golden Melody:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZj5hCsx8vo

Reviewing Brendan Power’s Slip Slider harmonica:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C7vZCgf8Zc4

Demonstrates harmonica with 7 draw tuned down:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3hUCd03PDAM

Podcast website:
https://www.harmonicahappyhour.com

Donations:
If you want to make a voluntary donation to help support the running costs of the podcast then please use this link (or visit the podcast website link above):
https://paypal.me/harmonicahappyhour?locale.x=en_GB

Spotify Playlist:
Also check out the Spotify Playlist, which contains most of the songs discussed in the podcast:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5QC6RF2VTfs4iPuasJBqwT?si=M-j3IkiISeefhR7ybm9qIQ

Podcast sponsors:
This podcast is sponsored by SEYDEL harmonicas - visit the oldest harmonica factory in the world at www.seydel1847.com  or on Facebook or Instagram at SEYDEL HARMONICAS

Chapters

• 1:44 Todd is based in Charlotte, North Carolina, and music scene there
• 2:20 Todd is a Gospel harmonica player, with country and other genres thrown in
• 2:40 Heard harmonica from father playing country music on the radio with harmonica in it, and grandfather played harmonica a little
• 2:57 First heard harmonica when a visiting player performed in church. That got Todd hooked
• 3:40 Bought a harmonica off this visiting player: a Huang Silverstone Deluxe diatonic (produced by Chamber Huang)
• 4:05 Bought a Hohner harmonica shortly afterwards
• 4:35 Still has first harmonica and occasionally plays it
• 4:53 Playing church music
• 6:18 Was 13 when got first harmonica and discovered harmonica on the radio and father’s tape recordings
• 6:50 Listened to Mickey Raphael playing with Willie Nelson
• 7:18 Terry McMillan was a big influence on Todd, with Terry playing on lots of recordings
• 8:31 Buddy Greene and Charlie McCoy were other influences on Todd
• 9:35 Didn’t listen to the blues players, with the lack of their influence meaning Todd developed his sound differently than a lot of harmonica players
• 10:10 Also plays keyboard / organ, using it as first to learn some chords to relate to harmonica
• 11:53 Todd was mostly playing in church bands, mostly melodies as hadn’t learnt anything about improvising
• 13:20 First session was playing on a radio commercial age 15, playing blues licks
• 14:52 Picked the harmonica up quickly in the supportive environment of the church
• 18:40 Similarities between Gospel and Country harmonica and how to play them
• 21:24 YouTube opened up the world of harmonica for Todd and people found him for some session work
• 22:13 Todd has released an album called Songs From The Harp, released in 2014
• 23:32 Gospel songs on the album
• 24:27 Took three years to record the album and detail on how some of the songs were put together
• 26:05 Todd recorded many of the other instruments on the album, learning some of them especially for the project
• 27:45 Had already learnt some bass to fill-in for church band
• 28:22 The other musicians playing on the album
• 31:09 I Need Thee Every Hour song is a solo piece borrowed from Buddy Greene
• 32:04 Plans to release another solo album, but recorded in a studio with Todd only playing harmonica
• 33:02 Recorded on a country album by Bill Tripp
• 33:36 Played with Mark Miller in Atlanta and why to never turn down a gig
• 34:57 More session work recording on other musicians albums
• 36:13 Album with Gabriel Bello of Stevie Wonder songs
• 37:36 Live recordings playing with Buddy Greene at SPAH
• 38:04 Todd teaches harmonica, and organised the Carolina HarpFest harmonica camp
• 39:25 Appearing at SPAH this year, the 60th anniversary of the event
• 39:35 Involvement in other harmonica workshops
• 40:13 Heartily recommends going to SPAH
• 41:21 10 minute question, including playing in 6th position on a country tuned harmonica
• 43:21 Playing along with whatever is on the radio is a good way to prepare for sitting in with bands, finding the notes that work
• 43:53 Todd often uses a harmonica tuned with the 7 draw down, which has sort of become known as the Todd Parrott tuning (although he wasn’t the first to use it)
• 45:51 Plays some Joe Spiers custom harmonicas
• 46:18 Would do some basic set-up of own harps before using Joe Spiers ones
• 46:49 7 draw being tuned down was inspired by Pete Elder
• 47:43 Maybe Todd should have Seydel manufacture the 7 draw down tuning
• 47:49 Todd is a Hohner endorsee and mainly plays Golden Melodies, with a new Golden Melody being released by Hohner in early 2023
• 49:02 Likes using Brendan Powers slip-slider harmonica
• 50:21 Makes his own custom combs
• 51:40 Todd uses overblows to play licks from low end of harp on the top end
• 53:53 Embouchre: pucker player mainly
• 55:42 Doesn’t play much chromatic
• 56:28 Has a Lone Wolf Harp Train 10 amp and a Lone Wolf Harp Attack pedal
• 56:54 Has one of the original Hohner Blues Blaster mics
• 57:12 Uses any vocal mic going, has a Bulletini and Ultimate 58