Theo Parrish, born in Washington D.C. was raised in Chicago, IL where his passion for music developed. Miles Davis, Stevie Wonder, Jimi Hendrix, Nina Simone, George Gershwin, Bob Marley, as well as his uncle, jazz musician Dexter Sims, all had strong influences on Theo's early musical life.
Chicago's radio influences and dance artists such as Ron Hardy, Larry Heard, Lil Louis, Farley Jackmaster Funk, Gene Hunt, Mike Dunn, Frankie Knuckles, Walter Get Down Brown and Andre Hatchett, helped to spawn Mr. Parrish's early career. He began spinning and producing tracks in 1986, at the age of thirteen.
After graduating from the Academy for the Arts, he received a scholarship to the Kansas City Art Institute where his interest in music was taken to a new level through his study of sculpture. In 1994, he received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from KCAI with a concentration in Sound Sculpture, a form of orchestration using live instruments, looped recordings, the human voice, and numerous other sound generation devices. While in Kansas City, Theo continued to impact and be impacted by dance music, helping to bring a dormant underground music scene to life.
Theo Parrish moved to Michigan in 1994, where he became heavily involved in Detroit's underground music scene. Since his arrival, he has helped spawn a resurgence of dance classic selections among local DJ talents. An original resident of 'Better Days', Theo's sound has been called everything from spiritual to infectious. Following several dates with independent promoters, he gave an exceptional evening of soulful selections at the infamous Detroit Electronic Music Festival. Finding the night to offer more stress than musical bliss, Theo has returned to the comforts of the studio. You can find his sounds being charted by DJs in Germany, London. Japan. Italy, France, Australia, Canada, Africa and numerous cities throughout North America. Producing music through his imprint Sound Signature, and delivering his unique and dynamic sets in venues throughout the Detroit and surrounding areas, as well as abroad he has gained the attention and respect of DJs, producers, listeners and dancers worldwide.
Theo Parrish recently participated in the first "Roots of Techno" panel discussion with Indiana University. Theo has also served as lecturer for the Red Bull Music Academy.
