Teresa Kummerl is a singer/songwriter/guitarist from El Paso, TX. At the age of six, she made her performance debut in front of a "mass" audience of 40 U.S. soldiers, army wives, and crying babies. This, where she robbed the Rastafarian cover song lead singer of his trusted performance mic and began her onslaught of remixing Prince's "Purple Rain." Despite her off beat rhythm and dripping nose, she recieved a standing ovation. Since then, this Amerasian female musician has come a long way. Listening to all genres of music ranging from trance/dance to emo/indie/punk to hip hop and hardcore, she has used all of these influences making her music diverse and sometimes unexpected. Her musical interests began with piano lessons at the age of 11, which only lasted 6 months because of a strict piano teacher which dulled her interest. Years later, at age 16, she found re-newed enthusiasm with an old drum kit collecting dust in the back den. She then began teaching herself to play percussion through most of her teenage years--performing in contemporary church organizations. It was during her junior year in high school when she found serious and dedicated interest in the electric guitar. After learning Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit," it gave her a whole different outlook on the instrument and songwriting itself. She then began teaching herself more technical pieces from albums like Metallica's "And Justice for All" and "Metallica" (the Black album). From there she began getting together with friends in small garage bands. At age 19, she joined Betsy, a pop-punk band, where she picked up the bass for the first time and began singing back up vocals. After three years of small tours and many fun-filled shows, her increasingly accumulating hunger to play the instrument she was most accustomed to (guitar)--as well as seeking a different vein of songwriting--took over where she decided to pursue her own outlets and expression. Teresa Kummerl does not consider herself a singer or solely a musician, but identifies more so as a songwriter where without her guitar, her voice would not feel complete. Have a listen!
