 Parkinson started his solo career and, in August 1972, issued the single, "Lonely".In March 1973 he took the role of the Hawker in the Australian music theatre orchestral version of the Who's rock opera, "Tommy".Fellow Australian artists were Daryl Braithwaite (as Tommy), Bobby Bright, Linda George, Colleen Hewett, Jim Keays, Ian Meldrum (as Uncle Ernie in Sydney only), Billy Thorpe, Wendy Saddington, Broderick Smith and Ross Wilson.