David Parmley is a bluegrass vocalist, guitarist, and award-winning bandleader. He is best known for being a co-founder of both the Bluegrass Cardinals and Continental Divide.
In 1974, Parmley began playing bluegrass professionally at age 17, singing lead vocals and playing guitar with his father Don and mandolinist Randy Graham in the Bluegrass Cardinals. In 1991, Parmley left the Bluegrass Cardinals and moved to Nashville to pursue a solo career in country music.
Continental Divide
In 1994, Parmley formed David Parmley, Scott Vestal and Continental Divide with Scott Vestal, Rickie Simpkins, Jimmy Bowen, Mike Anglin, and Randy Kohrs. In 1995, they released David Parmley, Scott Vestal & Continental Divide album. Also in 1995, Continental Divide won the IBMA award for Emerging Artist of the Year. 1996, Continental Divide released the On the Divide album for Pinecastle Records. Personnel included Parmley, Anglin, Vestal, Bowen, Aubrey Haynie, and Larry Atamanuik. In 1998, Vestal departed the band. The band name was changed to Continental Divide, and then David Parmley and Continental Divide. In 2001, Continental Divide released What We Leave Behind and in 2002, they released Pathway of Time with Parmley, Anglin, Ben Greene, Danny Barnes, and Steve Day. Giest artists included Jim Hurst and Glen Duncan. The Long Time Coming album was released in 2005. The lineup included Randy Graham, Dale Perry, Barry Berrier, and Steve Day. In 2007, they released “Church House Hymns” album, and in 2008, the 3 Silver Dollars album with the title track composed by Tom T. and Dixie Hall. The band included Parmley, Perry, Ron Spears, Ron Stewart, and Kyle Perkins. Rhonda Vincent provided harmony vocals on "Meadow On The Mountain." In 2008, Parmley took a hiatus from performing because of health problems, but in 2010, he returned to performing with Continental Divide, releasing the album There'll Always Be A Rocking Chair. Only Parmley and Anglin remained from the original lineup. Burchett Jr., Danny Barnes, Steve Day, and Glen Duncan. Then in 2012, Parmley retired from music, driving and maintaining tour buses for music artists, such as Rascal Flatts.
Cardinal Tradition
Parmley resumed performing and touring in 2015 with his new band Cardinal Tradition. Besides David on guitar, the band includes Ron Spears,, Steve Day, Dale Perry, and John Marquess.
Other projects
In 1989, Parmley released his first solo project I Know a Good Thing on Sugar Hill Records and in 1993, he released Southern Heritage on Rebel Records. After Don and David Parmley left the Bluegrass Cardinals in 1991, they recorded the album Parmley and McCoury: Families of Tradition with Del McCoury. In 2002, Parmley, Larry Stephenson, Missy Raines, Jason Carter, and Charlie Cushman formed a part-time band called White House.
