Ian returns to his 'spiritual home' (From Stourbridge News)

Ian returns to his 'spiritual home'

5:16pm Tuesday 12th June 2007 in Local Bands By Bev Holder

BLUES and roots star Ian Parker will be returning to the Robin 2 at Bilston this Friday (June 15).

The Stourbridge singer and guitarist and his four-piece band will be performing tracks from his latest album Where I Belong plus old favourites from around 9pm at the Mount Pleasant music venue which he refers to as his spiritual home'.

Ian said: "We spend a great deal of time abroad these days, which is great fun, but there is still no better venue in Europe than Robin 2, and I've been playing in front of the local people for over a decade now, so it is always special to come back home."

However much he likes home though, the 30-year-old musician hopes to make waves in the US in August after being invited to play at a series of dates on the east coast and midwest.

He has also been approached by leading guitar pick-up manufacturers, Seymour Duncan, to work with the California-based company during his Stateside trip.

Ian - who hopes to release Where I Belong in the US later this year - is also celebrating his inclusion in a new book by Hadar Communications about 50 guitarists considered to be contributing to the current musical climate.

And he has become the new face of legendary guitar string manufacturer Rotosound, who have long been associated with big names including one of Ian's heroes Jimi Hendrix.

He was featured in the company's latest advertising campaign in Guitar Techniques magazine.