Name: Cerys Matthews.

Occupation: Nashville queen, married with two children.

Former occupation: The Janice Joplin of the Valleys. Wild Welsh pop vixen, who liked a bottle of more than pop in her Catatonia days before Charlotte Church picked up the vacant crown of party-loving Cardiff crumpet.

Born: Cardiff, Wales, April 11, 1969.

Why is she in York twenty4seven? Cerys is to play the 100-seat Band Room, at Low Mill, Farndale, deep in the North York Moors, on September 23. Smallest date of her first UK tour for three years, which opens at Portsmouth tonight.

What brings her back to Blighty? On August 21, she releases second solo album Never Said Goodbye on Rough Trade. Given her summer touring schedule of Portsmouth, Llangollen, Cardiff, London, Cambridge Folk Festival, Edinburgh and Cardiff again, how apt that her new single is entitled Open Roads, out on August 7.

Cerys's thoughts on her new album: "I wanted to make people feel happy, to make people feel good. The main thing is that I hope it sounds different and beautiful. Not avant-garde or difficult to digest, but something that is beautiful in itself, like a little seedling"

Previous solo album: Cerys turned country on Cockahoop, released by Blanco Y Negro in May 2003.

The Press verdict: "After the personal breakdown and band break-up, the alcohol abuse and clinic treatment, the party girl of Britpop has vacated Wales and Catatonia for a fresh start, marriage and pregnancy in Tennessee. Given her troubles, only the blues or country could have been her destiny, yet this is still the most startling reinvention since David Icke".

Brief history of Catatonia: Band formed in 1992 after guitarist Mark Roberts spotted Cerys busking acoustic Jefferson Airplane songs outside Debenhams' department store. First four indie singles all made NME single of the week. Airplay breakthrough came with Sweet Catatonia in January 1996; commercial breakthrough, You've Got A Lot To Answer For. Further hits were Mulder And Scully, number three, 1998; Road Rage, number five, 1998, Strange Glue, number 11, 1998; Dead From The Waist Down, number seven, April 1999. Two albums topped the charts: International Velvet, 1998, and Equally Cursed And Blessed, 1999. Cerys fell off the wagon on the eve of release of Paper Scissors Stone in 2001. Band folded, saying goodbye with Greatest Hits, 2002.

Tickets update for Band Room gig: Selling fast at £17.50, Ring 01751 432900 or email info@thebandroom.co.uk. Doors will open at 7.30pm; early arrival recommended