Tessa House - formerly Tessa Rollins - grew up in and around Ada, Oklahoma, but mostly Byng, where she went to school almost her entire schoolastic career.

 

  When Tess was 15, her mother bought her first guitar for her, a guitar which she still owns today. She took guitar lessons for a while, but then went to self teach herself, as well as learn a few things from her uncle Jimmy Tignor, who also performs around Ada, as well as her now husband Joey House.

 

  " Some of the happiest memories of learning the guitar and how to perform are of when my uncle and I would head out to his big red barn, plug in the PA system for no reason, and just jam. Some of those songs that we used to do have become sacred to me."

 

  From there, her musical world opened further, allowing her to play and sing songs her way, and she learned to be more of an artist.

 

  Her musical career started publically at 15 when Tess started singing The National Anthem at her highschool's events.

 

"I have probably sang the National Anthem at least one million times," she kids.

 

After that, she began singing it at different venues across Oklahoma, including benefit concerts like Relay for Life and Moore Love, and Chickasaw Nation events

 

"The Chickasaw Nation really likes me, and I like them. I think I'm their go-to for singing. They heard me one time at some silly event they had for their employees to let loose where I sang Respect by Aretha. My mom made me do it, and she and some of her co-workers danced around behind me with boas. After that, I guess they were hooked," she says. "And singing the National Anthem really opened me up and pushed me publically. It really helped me with singing in front of more than a couple people.

 

I was at a Chickasaw Nation even once and the governer was there. I remember after I sang, he came up to me and told me how much he enjoyed my voice. I'll admit I was too surprised to say much."

 

  After warming up with The National Anthem, her vocal teacher began putting her in school singing compatitions, where she placed 1st many times. From there, it was school plays, music concerts, band performances, and talent shows.

 

  After graduating from Ada High School in 2005, she began hosting Karaoke nights in order to break into the bar scene. She began playing in local bars acoustically shortly after.

 

  She teamed up with her husband in 2011, and they started The House Band (formerly Dirty Derringer), a band in which still currently plays. In August 2014, she decided to join Brittany in their girl-duo, Southern Gypsies, but because of hecktic schedules, the girls are on a break. They did, however, manage to take second place in the Blake Shelton Showdown in September of 2014.

 

Tessa plays solo gigs all around Oklahoma. Venues she has played  include (this list does not include weddings and other special non public events):

• McSwain Theater, Ada, OK

• Moore Love Charity Event for Moore, OK Tornado Victims, Ada

• The Statesman's Lounge, Ada, OK

• Vintage 22 Dessert & Wine Bar, Ada, OK

• Colgate Country Showdown, Ada, OK

• Ada Idol, Ada, OK

• The Fieldhouse, Ada, OK

• Crossbones Saloon, Ada, OK

• Gabby's Broadway Bar, Ada, OK

• Papa G's North Lounge, Ada, OK

• Mojo's Coffee House, Ada, OK

• The Villiage Bar, Ada, OK

• Rib Crib, Ada, OK

• Midnight Rider's, McAlester, OK

• Three Horse Saloon, Seminole, OK

• Red Brick Bar, Norman, OK

• Moon Tower Lounge, Shawnee, OK

• District House, Arts District, OKC

• The Pink Pistol's Ponderosa, Tishomingo, OK

• The Ladysmith, Tishomingo, OK