| London Parris | |
| Birth Name: | Conley Parris |
| Birth Date: | 1931 5, mf=yes |
| Birth Place: | United States |
| Death Place: | United States |
| Instrument: | Vocals |
| Genre: | Southern gospel |
| Occupation: | Musician |
| Years Active: | ca. 1950–1992 |
| Label: | RCA, Skylite |
| Associated Acts: | The Rebels Quartet, The Blackwood Brothers, London Parris and The Apostles |
Conley "London" Parris (May 25, 1931 – September 7, 1992) was an American southern gospel bass singer, famous for his associations with The Rebels quartet and The Blackwood Brothers and hit songs such as "Heaven Came Down". He was inducted into the Southern Gospel Hall of Fame in 2004.[1]
Conley Parris was born on May 25, 1931, in the United States. Named “London” by Lee Roy Abernathy of The Homeland Harmony Quartet, he started singing gospel music in The Rebels Quartet when he replaced bass singer Big Jim Waits.[2]
Parris joined Christian music pioneers The Blackwood Brothers in the late 1960s during their post-Sumner era.[3] With The Blackwood Brothers he released many albums and went on to win two Grammy Awards for Best Gospel Performance with their album In Gospel Country in 1969 at the 12th Annual Grammy Awards[4] [5] and again in 1972 for L-O-V-E at the 15th Annual Grammy Awards,[6] [7] the 1970 Album of the Year award for Fill My Cup, Lord at the 2nd GMA Dove Awards, and many other awards.[8]
In 1971 he started his own group, London Parris and The Apostles, which won the Dove Award for the Most Promising New Gospel Talent at the 4th GMA Dove Awards in 1972.
Parris and his wife Yvonne had two sons, Christopher and David, and one daughter, Kathy. He died on 7 September 1992.
Parris was a consummate performer with a large, booming bass voice and a dynamic personality that made him a crowd favorite. He was famous for his renditions of "At the Crossing" and "Little Boy Lost", but "Heaven Came Down" and "Everybody Ought to Know" are his signature songs.
In 2004, he was posthumously inducted into the Southern Gospel Hall of Fame, operated at Dollywood, in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, by the Southern Gospel Music Association.
| Year | Album | Record label | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1968 | Heaven Came Down | Zondervan / 728 | |
| 1969 | Sounds of London | Zondervan / 747 |
| Year | Album | Record label | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1968 | Yours Faithfully | RCA Victor | |
| In Gospel Country | |||
| All Day Singing | Skylite | ||
| 1969 | data-sort-value="Heavenly Harmony Of" | The Heavenly Harmony of The Blackwood Brothers Quartet | |
| Fill My Cup Lord | RCA Victor | ||
| Just a Closer Walk with Thee | RCA Camden | ||
| O Come All Ye Faithful | |||
| 1970 | Gospel Classics | ||
| My God and I | |||
| Oh Happy Day | RCA Camden | ||
| 1971 | Sheltered in the Arms of God | ||
| Amazing Grace | |||
| Put Your Hand in the Hand | |||
| data-sort-value="Blackwood Brothers Quartet" | The Blackwood Brothers Quartet featuring London Parris | ||
| He's Still the King of Kings and Lord of Lords | RCA Victor | ||
| 1972 | L-O-V-E |