Sad news continues to plague the music world this week as the announcement of Mimi Parker’s death was made today. Parker was part of the indie rock band Low with her husband Alan Sparhawk, who broke the news on the Band’s Twitter account: “Friends, it’s hard to put the universe into language and into a short message, but she passed away last night, surrounded by family and love, including yours. Keep her name close and sacred. Share this moment with someone who needs you. Love is indeed the most important thing.” Parker has been battling ovarian cancer since 2020 and was 55 years old.
Pitchfork discussed the singer’s legacy, beginning with her childhood in Minnesota as the child of an aspiring country singer who helped spur Parker’s love of music. Parker said in an interview that her mother would play the guitar while she “…came up with harmonies, because she and my sister would usually sing the lead, so from the beginning…I just learned how to listen and kind of draw and come up with harmonies.” Parker was part of her school’s marching band as a percussionist where she met her high school sweetheart Sparhawk. The band Low originated from a project of Sparhawk’s called Zen Identity with Parker on drums and the recruitment of bassist John Nichols. Low’s musical style was described as “slowcore” and had breakthrough success in the rock world. Their cover of “Little Drummer Boy” from their 1999 Christmas EP was featured in a Gap commercial. Despite multiple changes in the band’s lineup throughout the years, Parker and Sparhawk were constants and released their first album as a duo in 2021.
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