Anthony Parker (musician) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Anthony Parker
Born	1980 (age 45–46) Germany
Other names	Wordsmith
Occupation	Singer-songwriter rapper
Awards	2018 Independent Music Award for Best Album - Rap or Hip-Hop

Anthony Parker, born in 1980, is a talented American hip-hop artist. He is better known by his stage name, Wordsmith. He has released many albums and even owns his own music company, NU Revolution, which he started in 2009. Wordsmith is also part of the team that helps choose nominees for the famous Grammy Awards. In 2018, he won a special award, the Independent Music Award, for his album Perspective Jukebox.

Wordsmith's Music and Songwriting

Wordsmith creates music using different styles, including classical sounds. Besides making his own music, he started his record label, NU Revolution, in 2009.

Music for TV and Games

As a songwriter, Wordsmith's music has been used in many places. You might have heard his songs on TV shows, in video games, and in other media. His music has been featured by big companies like the WWE, ESPN, NFL, Nintendo, CBS, NBC, and FOX.

In 2011, Wordsmith also started writing songs for APM Music. This led to his music being used by companies such as ABC, PBS, VH1, the Golf Channel, and Six Flags. Because of his songwriting work, he is a member of the Grammy Awards nominating committee. This means he helps decide who gets nominated for these important music awards.

His songs have appeared in popular TV series. For example, his track "Get What You Love" was used in the show Russian Doll. His song "Energy" was also featured on the ESPN sports talk show First Take.

Wordsmith's Albums

Wordsmith has released several albums throughout his career. Each album shows his unique style and ideas.

Early Albums

His first album, Vintage Experience, came out in 2010. He also worked with Chubb Rock from the group the Crooklyn Dodgers to create Bridging The Gap. Many of his albums since 2011 were co-produced by Jerome Smith.

In 2012, Wordsmith released King Noah. Songs from this album were used by the NFL Network, MLB Network, and CiCi's Pizza. His third album, The Blue Collar Recital, was released in 2013. This album tells stories about the everyday life of a regular worker. In 2015, he released his fourth album, Apt. 507.

Perspective Jukebox and Progressions

In 2017, Wordsmith released his fifth album, Perspective Jukebox. This album was very successful. It won the Independent Music Award for Best Album - Rap or Hip-Hop in 2018. People who reviewed the album said it was "substantial" and showed his feelings about greed and modern values.

In 2021, Wordsmith released his first jazz album, Progressions. He created this album with Kory Caudill. They also performed together in a concert after the album was launched.

Live Performances

Wordsmith loves to perform live with his band. He has traveled all over the world, performing in Asia, Europe, Africa, and the Americas.

Performing for Service Members and Orchestras

He also performs for US service members at military bases in other countries. In his hometown of Baltimore, he helps organize music events with the Concert Artists of Baltimore.

Wordsmith has also worked with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. He has narrated stories during public performances. In 2020, he performed spoken word during a show of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony. He has also hosted other events for the orchestra.

In 2020, he performed at the famous Carnegie Hall as part of a show called All Together: A Global Ode to Joy. That same year, he joined the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra Artistic Team. This means he advises them and helps create new orchestral projects. In 2021, he narrated a special piece called Destined Words at the symphony. This piece was written by James Lee III.

Personal Life

Anthony Parker, or Wordsmith, was born in Germany in 1980. His father was stationed there at the time. He later moved to Baltimore when he was 19 years old and made it his home. He currently lives in the Mount Vernon area of Baltimore and is a father of two children.