The National Parks
The National Parks is a folk/pop band comprised of five members: Brady Parks (Denver, Colorado – guitar and lead vocals), Sydney Carling Macfarlane (Kaysville, Utah – keyboards and vocals), John Hancock (Sacramento, California – electric guitar), Cam Brannelly (Draper, Utah – drums), and Megan Taylor Parks (Draper, Utah – violin). The group was formed by front man, Brady Parks, with original band members Sydney Carling, and Paige Wagner, in Provo, Utah, in early 2013, with 15 March 2013, marking the band’s first public performance. They produced their debut album Young through Kickstarter under the name of the founder and front man, Brady Parks but was eventually released under the name The National Parks on 3 September 2013. The album was recorded at June Audio with producer Scott Wiley and climbed to #13 on the iTunes singer/songwriter chart.
In January 2014, they released “As We Ran,” a standalone single which was written for the documentary film Love in the Tetons. The first month of their proceeds was donated to the National Parks Conservation Association. The online success of the album and “As We Ran” helped them find growing crowds around Utah, as well as, in Seattle, Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York City. International attention to the band began with the release of “Helsinki,” which premiered on NPR’s All Songs Considered in January 2015.
The band’s second album, Until I Live, was released independently in September 2015 and reached #52 on the iTunes Pop Chart, #5 on Billboard’s Top Heatseekers Chart for the Mountain Region, and boosted Spotify streams beyond 2.5 million. The two albums and the standalone single combined have amassed more than 13.2 million Spotify streams and garnered praise from press outlets such as NPR’s All Songs Considered, CMT Edge, Baeble Music, and Pop Matters. Following their sophomore release, the band has been favorably compared to a wide variety of acts including Foster the People, The Civil Wars, and Mumford & Sons, and has sold out shows in New York City, Washington, D.C., and Los Angeles.
The National Parks self-booked tour began in the summer of 2014. By 2016, the band was filling clubs in every region in the country while also performing at SXSW, Canadian Music Week, School Night at Bardot’s, Musikfest, Snowmass Mammoth Fest, and Make Music Pasadena. The group has also performed with acts such as Andy Grammer, Peter Bjorn and John, The Lone Bellow, LeAnn Rimes, and The Moth & The Flame.
In March 2016 City Weekly magazine named them Utah’s Band of the Year. The following month, “Monsters of the North” – a lead single from Until I Live – was announced as the winner of the International Songwriting Competition for all unsigned artists.
The National Parks is currently working on their third studio album Places. The lead single was released as a lyric video on their YouTube channel on 16 June 2017 via Rock Love Magic Records. Please visit the tour page on their official website for their upcoming concert dates.
Follow The National Parks
Recent Posts
Jenny Oaks Baker Helps to #LightTheWorld
This article and companion podcast is being shared with permission from Laura Hales of the LDS Perspectives Podcast website. Tune in as Taunalyn Rutherford interviews Jenny Oaks Baker about being a mom, concert violinist, and performing with her children. America’s...
With the Help of Disney Characters, Kenya Clark Reminds Us of What It is Like to Live on the “Edge of Loneliness”
Who doesn’t love a good Disney movie? Throughout the years, Disney has been providing quality entertainment that has captured the hearts of people of all ages worldwide. Once a person enters the fascinating world of Disney, they are taken on some wonderful adventures...
Lyza Bull Sings “Stand in the Light” in the Heart of New York City
Lyza Bull is an immensely talented 12-year-old soprano who sings with the world-renown One Voice Children’s Choir under the direction of Masa Fukuda. Her astounding music prowess shines through in her previously released music videos this year. On 3 September 2017,...
Various LDS Music Artists #LighttheWorld with New Music Video “Come and See”
Bri Ray is a singer/songwriter whose keen interest in music began at an early age, learning to play the violin at the age of four. When her parents discovered that she had taught herself to play her violin songs on the piano, she began taking piano lessons. At the age...
David Archuleta and Madilyn Paige Leave Home Crowd at Abravanel Hall Wanting More
On Monday evening, 20 November 2017, David Archuleta returned to his home state of Utah and performed a concert at Abravanel Hall in Salt Lake City, Utah. This was the first time that David has performed at the venue in six years. The crowds went wild as the house...
LDS Music Artists Share What They Are Thankful For
Traditionally, every fourth Thursday in November is set aside for the celebration of Thanksgiving Day. On that day there are Thanksgiving parades on television in the morning, followed by football games in the afternoon. It is a day when family, friends, and loved...