He graduated from the University of Georgia with a B.S. degree in Pharmacy and was president of his senior class in pharmacy school.

Butch is past president of the Swainsboro Exchange Club and the Swainsboro/Emanuel County Chamber of Commerce. In addition, he served three terms as a member of the Swainsboro City Council.

Butch is a member of the First Methodist Church of Swainsboro and has served on the administrative board.

He was chosen as one of the Five Outstanding Young Men in Georgia by the Georgia Jaycees, as well as the Pharmacist of the Year Award by Phi Delta Chi Pharmaceutical Fraternity at UGA. He was also awarded the UGA College of Pharmacy's Distinguished Alumni Award.

Butch served two terms as a board member of the Georgia Department of Community Affairs, including one year as chairman of the board. He is a lifetime honorary member of the Georgia Sheriff's Association.

In 2020, he was named Emanuel County's Person of the Year.

He has been named Family Medicine Legislative Champion by the Georgia Academy of Family Physicians.

He has also been named Legislator of the Year by the Georgia Rural Health Association, the Georgia Public Health Association, the Georgia Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Georgia Hospital Association.

Butch currently serves as the Chairman of the Rules Committee and the Special Committee on Healthcare.

He also serves on the Appropriations, Appropriations Subcommittee on Health, Banks & Banking, Economic Development & Tourism, Health, Human Relations & Aging and Public & Community Health committees. In addition, he serves on the OneGeorgia Authority Overview Committee and the Georgia World Congress Center Overview Committee.

He is owner of Parrish Properties, a real estate holding company.

He is currently serving his 20th term in the Georgia House of Representatives and representatives House District 158, which includes Candler, Emanuel and Treutlen counties, along with portions of Bulloch County.

Butch is married to Carol Parrish and has two children and five grandchildren.