In late August 1997, I purchased a mini stereo system for Krista for her bedroom.  Later that week, Krista called me to mention that the stereo system had a karaoke feature but did not come with a microphone.  So I bought a microphone and gave it to her. A week or two later, Krista gave me a tape to listen to.  It was "Winter" by Tori Amos and Krista had used the karaoke feature to remove Tori's voice and sing it herself.  I heard it and got goose bumps.  I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I told Krista that I wanted to learn the piece on guitar and record it with her.  After recording it, I distributed a few copies to friends and someone suggested that Krista and I go to an open mic night and do it live for an audience.  A few weeks later, we performed the piece live at an open mic night at the original Grape Street Pub in Manayunk.  There were other performers that night that played before us but no one seemed to pay attention as they continued to drink and have conversation, almost as if no one was performing at all.  Because of that, at the time, I really didn't even care if we played or not, but we made the trip and I knew Krista was up for it, so now it was our turn.  We got on the stage, received a short introduction and began to play "Winter".  Krista began the first verse and in a matter of seconds, the volume of the audience diminished to silence.  Even the bartender stopped moving and serving drinks.  Krista nailed it and when the song was over, there was an explosive applause that seemed to last forever.  A patron later said, "I've been coming to open mics here forever and this is only the second time in 5 years that  you could hear a pin drop.  So the performing seed was planted in Krista's soul that evening and she's never looked back.   She began writing her own songs, learning and excelling on guitar, and began drawing crowds at various venues locally.  She continues to floor me any time I perform with her, which by the way, I feel blessed and honored to do. - Dennis Parrish

for hi-fi quality, click on the title to play, or you can also download it

Winter

Krista Parrish - vocal
Dennis Parrish - guitar
(composer is Tori Amos)

daughter - father
Below - Krista and I in 2010 after she played the Sellersville Theater