With her melodic, heartfelt songs and endearing stage presence, it's easy to see why devoted fans voted Shellye Valauskas the "Best Singer/Songwriter" in the 1999 New Haven Advocate readers' poll. Playing shows both acoustic and electric, Shellye Valauskas has built a strong following and garnered critical acclaim, not only in her hometown of New Haven, CT but in Boston and New York as well. She's shared the stage with many national acts, including Jon Brion, Ivy, Kristin Hersh,The Nields, Mike Viola, Mary Lou Lord, Merrie Amsterburg, Spike Priggen and Amy Rigby. Her distinctive, affecting vocals and powerful songwriting have earned her the respect of Rigby as well as Kay Hanley (formerly of Letters to Cleo). Besides the expected acoustic guitar and harmony vocals, it's clear the Shellye Valauskas isn't afraid of the electric guitar. Her debut CD "The Stupid Truth" also features lap steel, violin, mellotron, hammond organ, farfisa, moog, and wurlitzer piano. Shellye has a remarkable ability to connect with listeners on a deeply emotional level. Through her songwriting, she captures the ambiguity and confusion of splintered relationships without ever coming across as self-pitying or self-righteous. Her thoughtful, literate songs have been published in the True Fables Anthology, a book of lyrics by performers who have appeared in the Maximum Minstrels Singer/Songwriter concert series at Koffee? in New Haven.