For some years now I've known there was a Utah-based band called "The National Parks," but who knew there was also a band called "National Park Radio"? I didn't until I stumbled upon a tweet from the folks at Buffalo National River the other day.
Now, why either of these bands came up with names tagged after national parks we're not sure.
The National Parks (https://www.thenationalparksmusic.com/), which originally was called Brady Parks and the IndiAnns, and rebranded as The National Parks in 2013, possibly because two of the bandmembers had Parks as their surname. They caught the attention of both the National Park Service and the National Parks Conservation Association, and during the Park Service's centennial in 2016 they performed at an event in Salt Lake city with celebrated writer Terry Tempest Williams for the National Parks Conservation Association.
As for National Park Radio (http://www.nationalparkradio.com/), with lead singer/songwriter/acoustic guitarist Stefan Szabo at the helm, its website also is quiet on how the name arose.
"... it is apparent his (Szabo) music is timeless – it could well have been recorded at any point over the last 100 years, and its subjects are just as eternal – the urge to discover and explore the great wilderness, while remaining true to family, community and an open-minded belief system," reads part of the group's bio.
Both groups fall largely in the folk/bluegrass/pop category, with National Park Radio more closely attuned to bluegrass.
With this being National Park Week, it only seemed logical to give both groups a shout out. Now, if they could contact the Traveler and explain the roots of their names, we'd be happy to share it with you.
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Comments
I’m often asked about the name National Park Radio and why we decided to give our band that name... Growing up with the Buffalo National River (America’s first national river) in our back yard, I’ve always felt like the parks and public lands were a happy place for me and my family - a place we could always go to be free from the stresses of life. So the park (and other parks) became a big part of my life, and the sense of freedom and adventure that they brought made we want to explore every single one. Along with the play on the other NPR (National Public Radio), which I view as honest, open, free, and inclusive of everyone (like our music). Much of National Park Radio’s music is meant to convey a sense of freedom and adventure, the things we feel while exploring this great land, while remaining honest and open to all, much like National Public Radio. I’m probably over-explaining it (which I tend to do), but when folks listen to my songs, I just want them to be inspired to be free, and explore life by making their own paths.
So, when faced with deciding on a band name back when we were starting to play music, Nationa Park Radio made perfect sense to us.
Oh, that and the fact that I have fantasy to tour the country playing music while exploring the amazing parks... the name can’t hurt that goal!
On a rather unrelated note, in 1958 Disney put out an album by "Stan Jones and the Ranger Chorus": "Walt Disney Presents Songs of the National Parks".
https://www.discogs.com/Stan-Jones-And-Ranger-Chorus-Walt-Disney-Present...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3hr61pL9_uM (parts of the opening narration and The Desert)
It sounds as cheesy, dated, naive, and "civic religion" as you might expect from the time and the source. Awesome as telephone hold music!