Vinx De'Jon Parrette  Vinx De'Jon Parrette (born 15 December 1957), known professionally as Vinx, is a percussionist, singer, songwriter, and former athlete. Vinx attended Kansas State University on a track scholarship. In 1977, he was severely burnt when a racist arson attack destroyed his house and the home of a neighbor. He overcame his injuries and three years later made the world’s second longest leap in the triple jump. This qualified Vinx for the 1980 Moscow Olympics. When President Jimmy Carter called for an Olympic boycott that year, Vinx’s athletic goals were put on hold. A radio DJ in college, Vinx also performed with the Kansas State Jazz Band. In 1978, blues singer Taj Mahal invited Vinx to perform with him at the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland. When Vinx’s Olympic dream was deferred, he turned his back on track, but after two years returned as an assistant coach for the women’s track team at the University of Texas at Austin. In Texas, Vinx rediscovered his Olympic ambitions and began working toward the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. After an injury at the trials took him out of the running for the ’84 Olympics, Vinx stayed in Los Angeles and began working as a fitness trainer for the rich and famous. His clients included Stevie Wonder, George Hamilton and Marisa Tomei. In 1987, Vinx landed his first recording session with saxophonist Ernie Watts on his Grammy awarded "Musician" project. Following singer Tom Jones’ recording of Vinx’s ballad "Touch My Heart," Vinx toured extensively with the likes of Rickie Lee Jones, The BusBoys, Teena Marie, Toni Childs and Robben Ford. His commercial agency work included appearances in both Sprite and Levi's 501 Blues ads. In 1989, Vinx’s father, Leslie Jackson Parrette Sr. (Vinx’s greatest musical influence) was mugged and murdered during a family vacation in Detroit. Vinx left the United States for Europe with his all-drum band. Vinx and the Barkin’ Feet played to capacity audiences at the Montreux Jazz Festival, performing after Miles Davis and before Wayne Shorter. Back in the states, keyboardist Herbie Hancock invited Vinx to perform on his Showtime Coast to Coast TV Special, where Vinx played with Bonnie Raitt, Bruce Hornsby, Lou Reed, B.B. King, Herbie Hancock, Kenny G and Woody Harrelson.