Parris Lane is a PBS Emmy-nominated actress/Singer, a songwriter, music and film producer, V.O. artist, and published author. As a singer, Parris’s extraordinary voice lends itself to many different styles of music as she has performed for audiences around the world, from Carnegie Hall to London, Paris, Geneva, Rome, Bangkok, and Las Vegas, among others. Her four-octave voice lends itself to diverse styles, including Gospel, Jazz, R&B, Pop, Classical, and Show tunes. Parris has recorded with many greats, including the group “MARZ” on Capital (Liberty) Records, and has produced seven musical CDs. One can also find her singing background vocals on Nils Lofgren‘s song “Black Books,” which was featured regularly on the HBO hit series “The Sopranos.” She received a Governor’s Proclamation for producing variety shows as a fundraiser to bring awareness to Domestic Violence.

With her acting skills, Parris received her Emmy nomination as an actress/singer on the MD PBS Children’s Television Show “Bob the Vid Tech” and starred in several musical productions such as Godspell, Jesus Christ Superstar, PURLIE, and SELMA. As an author, Parris has written and published two children’s books, So Many Bugs, and Mali the Hippo, the Abella Choral Music Book of Negro Spirituals, and My Little Book of Prayers. Parris also created, produced, and narrated the Grammy Considered for Best Spoken Word historical fiction music audiobook “Abella- A Voice for the Voiceless,” which was birth by a pitch in a private lunch meeting with the late Quincy Jones. Seven music selections from Abella were also Grammy Considered in various music categories.

Parris work as a film director has graced her with credits within the film industry with her short film “When Men Grieve” being a Semi Finalist in Tokyo Short Fest, Nominee for Best Short Film in the Frame Fushion International Film festival, Germany, and Finalist for Best Independent Short Awards, LA. However, her short film “Dancing in My Sorrow” won an award for Best Short Film at the Global India International Film Festival. Her experience in various spectrums of the Arts/Entertainment Industry is priceless.  She was mentored by the renowned Marilee Lear, of Lear Casting, where she gained experience in casting such shows as America’s Most Wanted and major films such as the movie “21.”

Her work as a Teaching Artist for the Smith Center for the Performing Arts Wolftrap Early Learning Program in Las Vegas, NV, where she designed Arts Integrated Lesson Plans to enhance Preschool curricula and classroom activities. Her workshop, created for youth entitled “Negro Spirituals – Communication through Songs” with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra Arts Excel Program, was one of the most requested lessons within the program. She received a Governor’s Proclamation for directing and producing events for groups such as the Chrysalis House for Mothers recovering from substance abuse and the YWCA Domestic Violence Program. Parris served on the board of the MD and NV Chapters of Women in Film, National AIDS Memorial Grove, and is a graduate of the Les Brown Hungry for Greatness Speaker Academy.

As CEO of Parold Entertainment Inc., she is currently building Parold Entertainment’s music catalog library, songwriting, producing music, and writing a book about her unique life experience as a San Francisco Street performer with the Backyard Party Kings. Creating SF Immersive Art Exhibit, In produces a variety show “Parris Lane – Jazz Renaissance” at the historic Black Jazz Club, Geoffrey’s Inner Circle, in Oakland, CA. Parris graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree from Mills College, Oakland, CA, majoring in Intermedia and Literary Works for Early Childhood Education, and a Master of Fine Arts in Interdisciplinary Arts from Goddard College, Port Townsend, with a focus on Film, Writing, Photography, and Music. Parris is a native of Annapolis, MD, and currently resides in San Francisco, CA