Texas In The Man by Mike Parrish & Sixgun

Country music, rock, pop, blues, there simply were no boundaries because Mike could find the soul of any genre and the true message of any song. He knew that Sammy, above all, shared this same love for music and also that Sammy had carved out a living playing throughout the greater Houston area while becoming one of the most accomplished, even masterful, musicians in the region. As they sat on the deck of that Crystal Beach cabin, they laughed at recollections of blaring Kiss records while they simultaneously played "air guitar." Mrs. Parrish's sofa (Mike's mom) doubled as a stage, even while only in her absence, and the boys would often leap from its cushions into the air for imaginary crowds who cheered them on. Those were indeed the days that Mike recalled with fond memories and also the days that taught him to find the music in life.

While his first ambition was to record the songs that had filled his heart and mind as a teenager and young adult, life just got in the way of that plan and Mike used this same drive to become a distinguised Texas Peace Officer after serving a tour of duty in the United States Army. Through his long career as a street cop, investigator, police chief in two cities and finally an elected constable, Mike Parrish found much to write about. The personal trials of life and the tribulations of others, as seen through the eyes of a police officer, were many and, it seemed, whether these times were heartbreaking or joyous, there was always a song to be found. As the years passed, a yellowing notebook was packed from room to room and from house to house which was filled with the passion of life and living that was conveyed through the music of Mike Parrish.

M.C. Parrish, Mike's father, passed away in 1979 leaving Mike alone with his mother, Mary, and two younger sisters, Marsha and Monica, who were twins. So, at 16-years-old, Mike grew up much faster than he should have and, although he'd be the first to tell you he made his share of mistakes, he tried to meet life head-on. Every minute wasted was a minute lost forever and the loss of his father taught him that people only have a single shot at life. He knew he'd get only one chance to do all the things that he'd dreamed of and only one chance to somehow leave a mark, a mark that counted for something, before it was his time to leave this world. Others may be able to tell you of the many many lives Mike's work as a police officer impacted but Mike never kept track and moved through 17 years of law enforcement helping any and all who came into his path. His firm belief was that, as a Texas Peace Officer, it was his duty to stand for those who could not stand for themselves and protect those people from all harm even to the point of self-sacrifice should that duty call. And there were occasions when that call had almost befallen him, times when he thought he'd never make it back home but somehow he always did.

The greatest tragedy of Mike's life came in 1999 when he lost his fourteen-year-old son, Mikey (Michael Shawn Parrish). Within three months after this tremendous loss, Mike effectually became separated from his wife and remaining children and lost his position as police chief for the city police department for which he was employed. Eventually, he fought his way through the darkest valley he'd ever walked through and won back his family. Somehow he found the strength of his Irish / Indian heritage and pulled himself up by the bootstraps. And, while working as a part-time criminal investigator for a different agency, Mike took a full-time job as a truck driver traveling throughout the oilfields of Texas and Louisiana.

This job was completely different than anything he'd ever done in his life but it gave him time to get his life back into perspective and his goals back into context with his original grand scheme of constant forward progress. This time was a time of healing and introspection. And it was a time to lay the foundation for music that was still yet to be written at that point. After two years of driving a truck, Mike stepped back into law enforcement with a new found passion and built a brand new police force in a city where law enforcement was minimal and crime was rampid. Five years later, after his force literally obliterated the crime element of his small city, Mike ran for election as a constable and won by 84% of the vote.

But there was something still left undone. That yellowing notebook of songs that he'd written was still being moved from room to room and home to home but none of these songs had found their way to the ears and hearts of those for which they were written.

Sammy and Mike went into a closed room at that Crystal Beach cabin and, after approximately ten hours of working (and playing) they emerged with the demo track of Mike's song "Runnin' Outa Time." The next day they repeated this process and created the demo for "End of Forever." Even while neither of them really talked about it, they both believe that this was when it was subliminally decided to record an entire album. Once the wheels began to roll it was merely perpetual motion afterward because Mike and Sammy worked day and night recording the songs that Mike wrote and chose for the album that would soon be titled, "Texas in the Man."

This music reflects the life of a man who loves his fellow man and who devoted his life to the protection of his country. In this album you'll hear of Mike's victories and tragedies from "Color Me Gone" to "Angel Fly." These tunes are written in such a way that any one can relate to the trials that formed them and the fibers of life from which they were crafted.

He continues to live and work as a Texas Peace Officer and he continues to pour his heart and soul into this first true love . . . music.

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