Katy Tessman is an optimistic and approachable singer-songwriter with a voice full of the wisdom she’s gained through breast cancer survival, heartbreak, and motherhood. Her powerful vocals and rhythmic approach to guitar (or mandolin) express a straight-from-the-heart songwriting style that moves passionately over diverse emotional and musical terrain.
Before becoming a mom, Katy performed her original contemporary folk music both as a headliner and opener at venues in the Twin Cities and throughout the region for nearly a decade. Katy’s band Joe’s Elevator won accolades from fans and critics alike, releasing their album Up & Down in 1997. Katy’s 11-song solo debut album, Fall, remarkably showcases her acoustic based arrangements expanded by a talented cast of players. Before becoming a mother in 2003, national tours allowed her to grace stages from Seattle to Sioux Saint Marie.
During her pause from the stage, She has raised two sons, fought a victorious battle with breast cancer, authored an award-winning children's book entitled Our Mama is a Beautiful Garden, and was named CHANGEMAKER by the Minnesota Women’s Press.
