This nationally famous gospel singer and songwriter from Newton (Roane County) graduated from West Virginia Institute of Technology with a music degree in 1970. In 1975, he launched his public career when he joined the Kingsmen Quartet as the baritone singer. In 1981, Parsons wrote his most popular song, "Sweet Beulah Land," which was named the favorite song of the year by a major gospel music magazine. He wrote over 600 gospel songs in his career, including other classics such as "Master of the Sea." He won the title of Favorite Gospel Songwriter five times in the Singing News annual competition.

Parsons said the inspiration for his most famous song came from his childhood church in Newton. As he was driving to his teaching job years later, humming an old song about "Beulah Land," he topped a beautiful West Virginia mountain facing the bright sun. The image and the old song led him to write the new song that morning.