Dad Parker and his Country Orchestra, ca. 1920-1935 Dad Parker and His Country Orchestra performed regularly on WNAX Radio in Yankton, South Dakota, during the 1920s and early 1930s. Subsequently, he became a good friend of the then young accordionist, Lawrence Welk, another WNAX regular who began his own association with the station in 1927. According to Parker's widow, her husband owned and played three violins, but favored the one shown here (NMM 4201) due to it's strength of volume. This instrument was sold by Anna Parker, after her husband's death in 1963, to Melvin M. Vieths, New Underwood, South Dakota, who preserved it and eventually donated it to the National Music Museum in 1987. National Music Museum The University of South Dakota 414 East Clark Street Vermillion, SD   57069 ©National Music Museum, 2002-2007 Most recent update:   October 24, 2007 You are the 155th visitor to this page since September 11, 2002. The University of South Dakota Return to Top of Page

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