Mary Cutrufello, 46, has been known as a Texas honky-tonk heroine, a fiery Midwestern roots-rocker, and a powerhouse acoustic performer in her 25 years in the music business. Connecticut-raised and Yale-educated, she's made records showcasing all of those facets of her identity as her musical journey has taken her from the East Coast to Houston and now to Minnesota. Her music mixes the themes and jangly chords of the heartland with a heapin' helping of Texas twang. Her voice, now weathered but still pitch-strong, finds new depths of meaning in her performances. Over the years, she's also refined and deepened her approach to playing guitar. She says it’s all about tone, feel, and rhythm, the right part for the song--but as anyone who’s seen her tear-it-up live shows can attest, her lead skills put her in a class with the best of the Lone Star, North Star—or any other—State.