Kat was born to parents Darrell and Julie Parsons in one of Europe’s most prominent musical cities, Vienna. Her father was an opera singer in the Vienna Opera House. He recorded with the Clemencic Consort for Harmonia Mundi and is the featured tenor on a Philips release of Mozart’s “Mass.” He still performs occasionally in the Washington DC area. Her mother is a professional pianist and singer and released a solo album in Europe in the mid-70s to her credit. She also recorded and released an album and dance single with her band Foxx Fire. Kat’s entire extended family are musicians, her father’s side coming from a deep bluegrass tradition and her mother’s side, from a jazz tradition. Raised in Maryland as a child and teenager, Kat sang with her parents and brother, Jon. In exciting news: Grandpa just won the Senior Olympics (Gold for playing the saw (with a violin bow); Silver for his ventriloquist act).
Kat has appeared on the cover of Music Connection Magazine, in Billboard, The Washington Post, Boston Globe, Chicago Sun Times, The Onion (it wasn’t a joke!), Campus Circle, and was CDBaby’s front page Editor’s Pick. Kat has been played on KCRW, WRNR, WBEZ, KLOS, WLUW, and was “Most Played” (Slot 1, 2 AND 3) on XM’s Unsigned Radio. While touring in the US and Europe, Kat has opened for and/or played with Billy Corgan, Maria Muldaur, Dave Mason, Jonatha Brooke, Lori McKenna, Shannon McNally, Jim White, The Fixx, The Knack and Charlotte Martin. Endorsed by Yamaha (“Influential Emerging Artist”), Audix, and ASCAP-recommended, Kat has performed live on MTV, QTV, WGN Morning News, Good Morning Arizona, and Fox TV, among others. Award winning, (DIY Runner Up Album of the Year, Acoustic Live Grand Prize, Pantene Pro-Voice Semi-Finalist, Winner GuitarGirls Songwriting Contest, Chick Singer Night Finalist, and is currently an International Songwriting Competition Finalist (winners will be announced in March), she’s been featured on United/Ted Airlines “Hear it First” in-flight programming, Yahoo’s 100 Concerts, was chosen as one of 10 indie artists across the US for Ford’s Fusion car campaign, and has an upcoming feature on AT&T’s Blueroom Site.
