Michelle Shocked [ tickets ] has probably been stalking stages, alone with just a guitar and a spotlight, longer than most of us have been going to shows. Armed with a scalpel wit and blessed with a powerfully earnest singing voice, Shocked made a splash on the indie scene with her very first release, 1984's "Texas Campfire Tapes," a scathing set of deeply intimate folk songs in a casual setting. She's avoided easy categorization over the years owing to her ever-changing musical styles, which travel through blues, folk, swing and back again. Shocked is currently set to release not one but three new albums on June 7: a rock album; an all-star tribute to Memphis Minnie; and an album of Western Swing-style Disney songs. --Tjames Madison

Performing Thursday, March 17 at 11 p.m. at Cactus Cafe (TX Union 24th @ Guadalupe).

website: http://www.michelleshocked.com/