Crowned as “The Funkiest Saxophonist”, Maceo Parker was born in Kinston, North Carolina February 14, 1943, to a musical family with his parents being heavily involved in the church while his brother Melvin Parker played the drums. Surprisingly, Maceo and his brother Melvin joined "The Godfather of Soul", James Brown band in the early '60s. Later establishing himself as a trailblazing band member of James Brown’s band, their collaborations produced legendary songs such as; "I Feel Good," "Out of Sight," "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag," "Cold Sweat," and "Mother Popcorn”. In 1975 he joined George Clinton's Parliament-Funkadelic band for a short time period. 

Decades later, Maceo was already a household name, but his career transformed once he began to collaborate with The Artist, Prince. Maceo appeared on multiple Prince albums and Tours such as “One Nite Alone” (2002), “C-Note” (2003), "Musicology" (2004), “3121” (2006), "Planet Earth" (2007), “Indigo Nights” (2008) and "Lotusflow3r" (2009). 

For his lifetime work and large contributions to genres of funk and jazz music, Maceo Parker was inducted into the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame in October 2011, received the 2003 Rhythm and Blues Foundation Pioneer Award, received the 2012 Les Victoires du Jazz in Paris Lifetime Achievement Award and the North Carolina 2016 Heritage Award.