Jon “Mac” Parker

Short Biography

Jon “Mac” Parker began his musical career playing four-string banjo at age 14 and guitar at age 16. Self-taught, he played rock ‘n roll, folk, bluegrass and country/western music. He taught himself 5-string banjo at age 17 and helped put himself through college playing folk music with The Californians. At about age 45, he began playing fiddle to help his son Travis who became a California state champion fiddler and professional musician. Mac performed with The Buffalo Brewing Company, a country/western band for 15 years. Mac worked as a professional actor for three different acting troupes and was acclaimed as an actor/director/writer. Mac taught high school English for 34 years at the same California school and achieved several teacher-of-the-year awards. He retired in 2002 but did substitute teaching for three years. Mac moved to Oregon in 2013 and began playing banjo for Umpqua Valley Bluegrass Band. He also plays banjo, guitar and fiddle for his own band, Mountain Creek, which debuted in December 2014. As a musician, Mac loves good vocal harmonies and appreciates the warm, family type comradeship and highly professional talents of all his band members. Mac belongs to Oregon Bluegrass Assn., Oregon Oldtime Fiddlers' Assn., & Fraternal Order of Eagles.