PARKER HONORED WITH HERITAGE AWARD May 25th, 2016 / by John Stoney Cannon Maceo Parker was first introduced to music fans 50 years ago with the words of Augusta music icon James Brown "I just want you to blow, Maceo!" Brown urged on 1965 breakthrough, "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag Part 1." Wednesday night in Raleigh, North Carolina, Parker be presented with a North Carolina Heritage Award. The award will take its place along side the gold records that line the walls in the office of his Kinston, North Carolina, home. The award celebrate some of the hits the saxophonist has played on over the years. Housed with the many awards are photos of Parker with many of music elite artists performing with the like's of Beyoncé, James Brown, George Clinton, Prince as well as posing with well know celebrities such as Spike Lee, Jennifer Lopez, and former President Bill Clinton. Parker was in and out of Brown's band a number of times between 1964 and the late 1980s, and also did a long stint in George Clinton's groundbreaking group Parliament-Funkadelic in the 1970s.