Mae Simpson remembers her mother wearing out the records of Tina Turner and Patsy Cline. You can hear their echo in the music of the Minneapolis-based artist. Turner can be felt in Simpson’s fiery soulful voice, stage energy, and rock and soul feel on songs like Tryna be Right and Why. The timeless lyricism of Cline finds its home in nostalgic ballads like Cap Guns  and Monsters.

Simpson has opened for acts including Dermot Kennedy, Grace Potter, Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe, Robert Clay, Ike Reilly, Langhorn Slim, RubbleBucket, and Pert Near Sandstone. She has performed multiple times on the iconic First Avenue main room, The Fillmore in Minneapolis, the Basilica Block Party, Live On King Street in Madison, Wisconsin, and the Blue Ox Music Festival. In 2024 the song Cap Guns was chosen as a finalist in the Americana category of the International Songwriting Competition. That 2023 single was inducted into Minnesota Public Radio 89.3 The Current’s Chart Show Hall of Fame after spending 10 weeks on the Chart, as well as “Cap Guns” being a finalist on the International Songwriting Competition 2024.