Bobbye June Parker: “The Piano Lady”
By Carlos Rodriguez, Weatherization Inspector, Alamo Area Council of Governments
It’s been an honor and a pleasure having had the opportunity of meeting Bobby June Parker, our (Alamo Area Council of Governments – AACOG) weatherization client. Ms. Parker is a much-celebrated luminary of the jazz scene in San Antonio music history who had a need for our program. In May of 2004, I was assigned her case. As Weatherization Inspector for AACOG on this particular case, I was also tasked with an additional training assignment. Our funding source, i.e., the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA), wanted our agency to help organize a three-day training session covering the use of pressure pans, duct testing and general assessment processes. Consequently, we immediately went to work setting up conference room time, transportation, refreshments, equipment, and most importantly – finding clients receptive to the idea of allowing nine strangers (TDHCA, AACOG and other WAP agencies staff) into their homes for about two hours. Several clients were called for this purpose and some were, understandably so, reluctant due to the size of the group. The clients who did agree found this as a way to illustrate their appreciation for the weatherization work they had received so they did not hesitate. Ms. Parker is one of those grateful and appreciative clients who most graciously allowed and welcomed our training group into her lifetime home. As with the other clients who consented, we arrived at her house in a four-vehicle convoy carrying eight inspectors and one trainer.
Upon entering Ms. Parker’s home the first thing you couldn’t help but notice was a beautiful baby grand piano smack dab in the center of her living room. At first, our group seemed to be more fascinated with her piano than with her house especially because Ms. Parker was not too shy to show us her musical talent as well. With the group gathered around the piano, and Ms. Parker at the keys, we were treated to a splendid mini piano concert. Hence, we dubbed her, “The Piano Lady!” Wow! We were all blown away by this lady who played absolutely amazing, including a jazzy rendition of a beautiful old Latin song called, “Sabor a Mi.” Adding a personal touch, Ms. Parker also shared some wonderful stories of her big time in San Antonio music history when she played at different nightclubs and with different celebrities.
Following our mini-concert, I proceeded with the (case) demonstration of her house of how I went about putting together the weatherization package installed in May of 2004. All in all, the experience was well worth all the added objectives necessary to achieve a successful and productive training session. (By the way, our contractor who performed the installation of the weatherization measures also reported having been serenaded by this sweet, talented lady as thanks for their having done a nice, clean job on her house!)
In returning to interview Ms. Parker for this article, again she could not have been more appreciative and truly grateful for all the work that was done to her home. And, yes…She played another song for me as well.
This case will always be unique and special for me in as much as not only were we able to provide assistance to Ms. Parker through the Weatherization Assistance Program, but also because we were able to impact positively her quality of life by improving the comfort level of her home, and most importantly, by helping produce a cost savings in utility bills for her. The weatherization work means a lot to Ms. Parker, and as the Inspector for this case, it means a lot to me as well of what we do as inspectors and how we impact the lives of clients.
Ms. Parker has many awards and a lifetime of achievements all around her home. She also has a large black leather bound portfolio full of print articles, fliers, photos and treasured memories of the “good old days in San Antonio”. She is proud of her having been recently recognized by our local PBS television station (KLRN) on the special series entitled, “San Antonio Remembered”, along with being featured in the San Antonio Express-News, Current, Observer, and many other newspaper periodicals. Her performances include those at the San Antonio Empire Theater’s grand opening, events at Carver Cultural Center, participation in the city’s Juneteenth Celebration, and a special concert for the Salvation Army Adult Rehabilitation Center.
Ms. Parker is a native San Antonian born January 28, 1930. Her weatherized house (her father’s) was built in 1935 and weatherized in 2004. Ms. Parker is just one of the many different types of wonderful clients we serve in our community. People like her make weatherization more than just a service. It’s a pleasure.