Katy Tessman

With a voice shaped by the wisdom gained through cancer survival, heartbreak, and motherhood, Katy Tessman is an optimistic and approachable singer-songwriter who celebrates life’s stumbles and summits. Her distinctive Mama-Americana style blends heartfelt storytelling with an unmistakable spirit of resilience.

Returning to the stage after two decades away, Tessman set the tone for her new musical chapter with Fly (2023), an album marked by equal parts grace and grit. She continues to soar with Turnbuckles (2025), a powerful collection of songs inspired by connection, perseverance, and the strength we find in one another. She has earned praise from RnR Magazine as “a quietly inspiring pleasure” and from Americana UK for her “striking, pure country voice.”

Whether performing solo or with her band KATY TESSMAN AND THE TURNBUCKLES, featuring her son Louis Tessman Stanoch on lead guitar, her shows deliver an experience that is “infectious, contagious, and all kinds of fun rolled into one” (Smouse in the House). As Girl at the Rock Shows noted, “You walk away from Katy’s set feeling empowered and ready to take on the world.”

A recognized CHANGEMAKER by Minnesota Women’s Press, Tessman is also the award-winning author of Our Mama Is a Beautiful Garden and Hero Now Crowned, two picture books that inspire hope across generations. A proud Minnesota native, she continues to bring her uplifting blend of songs and stories to audiences throughout the Midwest and beyond.