Days after announcing he had a rare form of cancer, guitar legend Ken Parker succumbed to the disease. He was 73 years old.
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The guitar luthier took to GoFundMe to announce his diagnosis, revealing he wanted to raise funds for his family, who were facing debt from all his medical treatments.
“In early 2023, I was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer that has slowly been debilitating me,” he wrote. “It hasn’t been easy living with this nasty disease, having chemo treatments that zapped my energy and slowly took away my ability to earn a living. Now, I’m on a breathing machine 24/7, and I’ve started to lose the use of my left arm.”
He further shared, “I humbly ask for your support to reduce the medical and personal debt that I’ve incurred and to help with my family’s expenses. I know times are tough for all of us, and I sincerely thank you for any support that you can offer.”
Since its launch, the GoFundMe has raised more than $140,000.
In a recent update, it was revealed that Ken Parker died at his home in Gloucester, Massachusetts, on Oct. 5, with his wife, Susan Kolwicz, by his side.
“Your generous contributions have helped tremendously,” the update continued. “However, Ken’s family is still faced with a great deal of debt. So please, continue your contributions in Ken’s honor…. they will be greatly appreciated.”
Further details about Parker’s death, including what type of cancer he had, have not been revealed.
Ken Parker Had Worked As a Guitar Luthier Until Earlier This Year
Ken Parker was known for his archtop guitars. He previously revealed that he had made his first guitar out of wood and cardboard when he was just 13 years old. He was working in a grandfather clock factory at the time.
Parker was also known for inventing the Parker Fly electric guitar, which was first introduced in 1993. He worked with Larry Fishman to design the electric guitar, which weighed approximately five pounds.
Along with inventing the Parker Fly, Ken was the founder of Parker Guitars, which he sold in 2004. The company shut down in 2016. He had a shop in Massachusetts where he built handmade archtop guitars.
Parker officially retired as a luthier earlier this year due ot his health.