Van Dyke Parks Spotted at LAX With Mandolin Case
Legendary composer posts a mandolin-case snapshot at LAX before his upcoming ocean voyage.
Ratika holds a master's degree in commerce and a post-graduate diploma in communication and journalism from Mumbai University. She has 6 years of experience writing in various fields, such as finance, education, and lifestyle.
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Veteran composer, arranger and multi-instrumentalist Van Dyke Parks turned heads this week at Los Angeles International Airport. The 80-year-old music legend—best known for his orchestral-pop masterpiece Song Cycle and landmark collaborations with Brian Wilson—was photographed wheeling a battered mandolin case through Terminal 4.
A Career In Sound
Parks first broke out in the mid-1960s as a staff arranger for Warner Bros. Records. His groundbreaking 1968 album Song Cycle blended baroque orchestration with California psychedelia, influencing generations of indie artists. He went on to co-write and arrange tracks for The Beach Boys’ Smile project, joined forces with Joanna Newsom on 2006’s Ys, and scored films by the likes of Robert Altman. A classically trained pianist and autodidact on guitar, Parks has kept busy guesting on records by Ringo Starr, Jimmy Buffett and U2.
On The Move: Mandolin Case At Lax
In an Instagram post on @parksvandyke, he shared a close-up of the olive-green mandolin case with hand-scrawled travel notes on its exterior. The caption reads: “This Mandolin case: Seen at LAX, for a hop across a pond. Next: from anywhere but Newark—Check out Red Hook Pier 12 Slo Poke by Cunard and tune into the Voice of America.” Fans quickly recognized the worn leather straps and custom stickers he’s been affixing since the ’70s.
Next Stop: The Slo Poke Cruise
Parks’s reference to Red Hook Pier 12 points to Brooklyn’s cruise terminal, where Cunard’s new vessel Slo Poke is scheduled to sail across the Atlantic. While Cunard’s historic fleet includes Queen Mary 2 and Queen Victoria, the Slo Poke appears to be an intimate, music-themed voyage concept. Departures from Pier 12 offer a direct route to Europe—and, for Parks, a chance to play tunes at sea, perhaps even dusting off that mandolin.
Tuning Into Voice Of America
The mention of Voice of America suggests Parks will tune into the international broadcaster during the crossing. VOA’s music and arts segments have featured him before, most recently in a 2022 interview covering his digital reissue of Song Cycle. Whether he plans an on-board interview or simply enjoys the static-free reception, it’s a nod to his lifelong interest in radio and world affairs.
Fans have already taken to social media to celebrate the moment. On Twitter, one user wrote, “Only Van Dyke Parks would travel with a mandolin—legend status confirmed.” Others shared memories of early Parks concerts in Los Angeles and New York. Photography buffs noted the early-morning light in his Instagram shot, praising its cinematic quality.
Parks has shown no signs of slowing down. Earlier this year he contributed arrangements to a tribute album for Brian Wilson and hosted a masterclass on American songcraft at UCLA. His next public appearance is slated for a VOA live session during the Slo Poke’s maiden voyage.
Whether he’s in the studio, on stage or roaming an airport terminal, Van Dyke Parks continues to fuse wanderlust with finely tuned melodies—and next week he’ll do it on the high seas.
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