The Alan Parsons Project had only two official members: producer and engineer Alan Parsons and singer, songwriter and pianist Eric Woolfson, who formed the group in London in 1975 and shared writing credits on almost all of its songs. Everyone else on their eleven studio albums was a session musician or guest vocalist, though a core studio band, guitarist Ian Bairnson, bassist David Paton, drummers Stuart Tosh and then Stuart Elliott, and arranger Andrew Powell, played so consistently that many fans count them as members.
Here is the full list: the two official members, the regular studio band, and the guest singers who fronted individual songs, with roles and years as the band’s own member list gives them.
Alan Parsons – Production, Engineering, Keyboards, Guitars, Vocals (1975–1990)
Alan Parsons met Eric Woolfson in the canteen of Abbey Road Studios in the summer of 1974. He had been assistant engineer on the Beatles’ Abbey Road and Let It Be and had engineered Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side of the Moon. He produced or co-produced every Project recording, and since 1993 has toured as the Alan Parsons Live Project.
Eric Woolfson – Composition, Lyrics, Piano, Keyboards, Vocals (1975–1990)
Eric Woolfson was working as a session pianist and composing material based on Edgar Allan Poe when he met Parsons; he first managed Parsons’s production career, then the two combined their talents in the Project. In later years he sang lead on many of the group’s hits, including “Time”, “Eye in the Sky” and “Don’t Answer Me”. He died in 2009.
Ian Bairnson – Guitars (1975–1990)
A member of the group Pilot, Ian Bairnson played guitar on every Alan Parsons Project album. He died in 2023.
David Paton – Bass, Vocals (1975–1986, 1990)
Also from Pilot, David Paton played bass from 1975 to 1986, sang on the records in the same years and returned in 1990 on vocals and acoustic guitar.
Stuart Tosh – Drums, Percussion (1975–1977)
Pilot’s drummer played on the first albums before being replaced from Pyramid (1978) onward.
Stuart Elliott – Drums, Percussion (1977–1990)
Stuart Elliott of Cockney Rebel took over the drum stool from Pyramid and stayed to the end of the Project.
Andrew Powell – Composition, Keyboards, Orchestral Arrangements (1975–1996)
Andrew Powell arranged the orchestra, and often the choirs, on every album except Vulture Culture (1985), when he was composing the score for the film Ladyhawke. He also composed some material for the first two Project albums.
Richard Cottle – Keyboards, Saxophone (1984–1990)
From Vulture Culture onward, Richard Cottle was a regular contributor on synthesizers and saxophone.
Lead Vocalists
The Project used a different guest singer to suit each song. The regulars were:
- Lenny Zakatek – vocals (1977–1987)
- Chris Rainbow – vocals (1979–1990; died 2015)
- Colin Blunstone – vocals (1978–1984)
- John Miles – vocals, guitar (1976, 1978, 1985, 1987, 1990; died 2021)
- David Paton – vocals (1975–1986, 1990)
- Eric Woolfson – lead vocals on many of the later hits
Other guest vocalists included Arthur Brown (1975), Jack Harris (1976–1978), Peter Straker (1977), Dave Townsend (1977, 1979), Dean Ford (1978; died 2018), Lesley Duncan (1979; died 2010), Clare Torry (1979), Dave Terry, known as Elmer Gantry (1980, 1982), Gary Brooker (1985, 1990; died 2022), Graham Dye (1985, 1998), Geoff Barradale (1987), Eric Stewart (1990, 1993), the Hollies and the English Chorale choir.
Other Session Contributors
- David Pack – guitars (1976, 1993), vocals and keyboards (1993)
- Mel Collins – saxophone (1982–1984)
- Phil Kenzie – saxophone (1978)
- Dennis Clarke – saxophone (1980)
- Andy Kanavan – percussion (1993)
- Philharmonia Orchestra – orchestra
The Alan Parsons Live Project
Since 1993 Parsons has toured as the Alan Parsons Live Project, named to distinguish it from the studio Project. Its current line-up is lead singer P.J. Olsson, guitarist Jeffrey Kollman, drummer Danny Thompson, keyboardist Tom Brooks, bassist Guy Erez, vocalist and saxophonist Todd Cooper, and guitarist and vocalist Dan Tracey.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Who were the members of the Alan Parsons Project? Officially only Alan Parsons and Eric Woolfson; the rest were session musicians and guest singers.
- Who sang on the Alan Parsons Project’s songs? A rotating cast including Lenny Zakatek, Chris Rainbow, Colin Blunstone, John Miles, David Paton and Eric Woolfson himself.
- Who played guitar in the Alan Parsons Project? Ian Bairnson, on every album.
- Is the Alan Parsons Project still active? The studio Project ended after Gaudi (1987); Parsons has toured as the Alan Parsons Live Project since 1993.
Related
- How to Reset File Associations in Windows 11 for a Fresh Start
- How To Add Windows 11/10 Installation To Boot Menu List
- How to Fix Logitech G HUB Stuck on Loading in Windows