Jesus has His hand on me. Every step I take He’s leading me. Through my faults and failures or my greatest victories, I know Jesus has His hand on me.

"The Song Goes On"...Ivan Parker

    The first time Ivan Parker stepped on stage to sing was in a Pentecostal church in Sanford, North Carolina. One Sunday night his father, the pastor, asked, "Does anyone have a song to sing?" Immediately, 2 -year-old Ivan jumped off his mom’s lap, ran to the microphone and started singing, "On the wings of a snow white dove, He sends His pure, sweet love."
    That was my first solo, Ivan said.. ’I just kept singing until my dad finally said, OK, I think that’s enough." Today when Ivan steps to the microphone, whether it’s in a church or in an arena packed with thousands of admirers, he will never hear anyone say, "OK, Ivan, that’s enough."
    With the same enthusiasm and passion that sprang forth from that 2-year-old’s heart, Ivan continues to sing gospel music. After recording a total of 30 projects and ten videos - 15 with the Gold City Quartet, three with The Trio and the remainder solo projects - the song goes on.
    Ivan was saved at age 9 in his daddy’s church in Sanford, when an evangelist preached a fiery sermon on the rapture of the church and heaven. "I remember that night well," he said. "I was sitting on the back row with all my friends. When the invitation was given, I couldn’t get to the altar fast enough. My mom and dad had always told me that whenever it came to salvation, I couldn’t get to heaven on their experience - I had to have my own."
    This decision that Ivan made at age 9 stayed in the forefront of his mind, even though he admits that he made a lot of mistakes along the way. "But I knew Jesus loved me and had His hand on me. I didn’t know what God had planned for my life; I just knew I wanted to sing."
    In June 2003, "It’s True" - the title song on one of Ivan’s CD’s - climbed to number 2 on The Singing News top 10 list. This is one of Ivan’s favorite songs, because it talks about how loved ones (including his dad) made the crossing.     
    As they are passing from here to there, they are saying, "It’s true...it’s true. All the things you’ve heard about heaven are true." With permission from the writer, Ivan rewrote parts of the song to make it express his sentiments.

Signature Song

   The song, "It Is Well With My Soul," has ministered to Ivan many times because of the circumstances surrounding the writer of the lyrics. Looking over the place where his four daughters had perished earlier when their ship collided with another ship, Horatio Spafford penned the words...

   And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight.
   The clouds be rolled back as a scroll.
   The trump shall resound and the Lord shall descend,
   Even so, it is well with my soul.

The same message is echoed in Ivan’s all-time favorite song, "Midnight Cry." He remembers the incredible feeling he had the first time he heard the song. "I just could not get away from the message in the song. It meant a lot to me, because it was the message that tugged at my heart the night I gave my heart to the Lord. This message is repeated in so many songs." Several years ago, Ivan was asked to sing for the Church of God General Assembly in San Antonio, Texas. As he was placing his luggage in the car, he had a muscle spasm in his back. "The pain was so intense, I thought I was having a heart attack. I could hardly move. My wife asked, ŒDo we need to cancel and take you to the hospital?No, I said. We’re going to San Antonio. The Lord will help me."
   When they arrived in San Antonio late that afternoon he was still in a lot of pain. But a group of people started praying and Ivan went on to the service. As they introduced him, he was still hurting. But when he took the very first step to walk on stage, he didn’t feel any pain. "When I began singing ’Midnight Cry,’ the wave of the Holy Spirit started on one side and moved across that arena. The whole time I was singing, I felt no pain. When I came back offstage I felt the pain again, although not as bad as it had been. I think the Lord blessed me because He saw how determined I was to minister and put His Word before the people."


Unique Ministry Opportunities

   One of the greatest ministry opportunities to come Ivan’s way is
being a part of most of the Gaither Homecoming Videos and singing in 70 to 80 Gaither Concerts a year, which average around 15,000 attendees each, in addition to his own solo schedule. In all, his calendar shows an average of 200 performances a year. One of the highlights of his ministry in 2002 was when he stepped on stage at Carnegie Hall and sang not "On the wings of a snow white dove" but "God Bless the USA."


Accomplishments

   Ivan was voted Favorite Lead Vocalist by the readers of The Singing News Magazine six times and Favorite Male Vocalist nine times. The Southern Gospel Music Association honored him with ’Soloist of the Year’ award in 1998, and The Singing News Fan Awards voted him ’Soloist of the Year’ in 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, and 2006. But one of his most cherished awards came in 1996 when he received the Distinguished Soloist award presented by the Department of Music Ministries of the Church of God.

Family

   Ivan and his wife, Teresa, have two sons - Ryan and Josh. Ryan is happily married to Sandy Hagee and they are the proud parents of baby Olivia. Josh is in college and is actively involved in music at both the school and church. The Parkers attend River of Life in Nashville, TN.
   

Greatest Influence

   The two people who have had the greatest influence on Ivan’s life are his mom and dad. "My mom, Katie Parker is a real prayer warrior. She has always prayed for God to use her children in the ministry. Reflecting back to my dad’s life, I see a lot of what I’m doing and the way God is using me as a fulfillment of his ministry. My dad was a singer and a musician, but when he was called to preach, he put his music on the back burner. It’s almost like he passed the mantel to me,  and I’m fulfilling the musical side of his ministry."
   Some of the great singers who influenced Ivan’s career are Bill Gaither, who reintroduced the wonderful old songs of the church and southern gospel music to the entire world, and Jake Hess, who says that Ivan is his favorite "crooner."


Unfulfilled Dreams

   Like most Christians, Ivan has known some "ups and downs," but he has lived with his favorite passage of scripture, Psalm 23. "I believe God does His greatest works in us when we are in the valley. It is there that we are more open to what He has in store for us." When Ivan was asked if he had any unfulfilled dreams, he said, "You never stop dreaming about where your ministry is going. I just pray that God will take what I am presently doing and increase it. I am living my dream...but the dream is not completed yet." The song will go on! 

Facts

1982, joined The Singing Americans

1983, joined The Gold City Quartet as lead vocalist. With Ivan as lead vocalist Gold City    achieved seven Favorite Group Awards and 19 Top Ten Hits including the 1993 Dove Award winning Southern Gospel Song of The Year, "There Rose A Lamb."

1987, voted Favorite Lead Vocalist, Gospel Music News people¹s choice award.

1988-1993, voted Favorite Lead Vocalist for The Singing News fan awards.

1989-1995, 1997, voted Favorite Male Vocalist for The Singing News fan awards.

1992, voted as the Male Vocalist of the year, Gospel Voice Magazine.

1993, inducted into the Alabama Music Hall of Fame.

1994, launched solo career. Since that time Ivan has released 13 major recordings.

1996, joined the Gaither Trio with prolific songwriters, Bill and Gloria Gaither. Was voted Soloist of the Year by the Church of God Denomination Worldwide.

1997, touring over 200 dates nation-wide, also released new project "Journey  To Forever." Recorded Live Video entitled "The Journey Continues" and an Old Time Convention Project titled, "Days Gone By,  Ivan and the Homecoming Choir."

1998, voted as Soloist of The Year, Southern Gospel Music Association. (SGMA)

1999, released first Christmas project entitled "Merry  Christmas from Ivan." Ivan, Kirk Talley and Anthony Burger formed "The Trio." They released their first Trio project entitled "The Trio." They are currently doing 20 concert dates a year in addition to their solo dates and Gaither Homecoming concerts. Ivan also released a new live video and audio entitled "Believe."

2000, recorded one project, "Vintage Homecoming," which has become one of the most popular recordings he has done to date. Ivan was voted Soloist of the Year by Voice Magazine.

2001, recorded second project with The Trio entitled "The Trio, Back By Popular Demand." Recorded a new solo project entitled "Be Blessed" with three singles being released to radio nationally. Voted soloist of the Year for the Singing News Fan Awards.

2002, toured record number of dates including Gaither, Trio and Solo. Recorded, "It¹s True" and "Sing". The single "It¹s True" went number 2 on the Singing News Chart. Was voted "Soloist of the Year" for The Singing News Fan Awards.

2003, voted Soloist of the Year, Singing News Fan Awards. Also voted Soloist of the Year, Diamond Awards. Released new project "Just Imagine."

2004, voted Soloist of the Year, Singing News fan Awards. Released new project "Redeemer."

 2005, released new Video/DVD Requested 'Live'.

2006, released new CD - "Under Grace". Voted Soloist of the Year for the Singing News Fan Awards, Voted Male Vocalist of the Year for the Singing New Fan Awards, won Diamond Award for Soloist of the Year.

2007, released new CD - "That Was Then, This Is Now"

2007, #1 Song in Gospel Music News - Hit The Ground Running.

2007, #1 Song in Europe - Midnight Cry

2007, first Soloist to ever perform on the Main Stage at the National Quartet Convention

2007, voted Southern Gospel's Favorite Male Vocalist.

2007, first soloist to ever grace the cover of Singing News Magazine.

2008, #1 Song in Singing News Magazine, 'I Choose'.

2008, released new CD 'Inseparable' and 'The Best of Ivan Parker' DVD