Nirvana. Tucker graduated from college in 1994. She says her role models are Maya Angelou, Nora Ephron, and Patti Smith. As Tucker puts its, "Women who have had really long careers and done a lot of different things." Although she later relocated to Portland, Oregon, Tucker still describes herself as "a small-town girl" from Eugene. Career Starting in 1991, Tucker has been a singer, guitarist, and songwriter in a number of rock bands. In 1999, Esquire wrote that Tucker "has been the most interesting singer in pop music since 1991, when she first opened her mouth in public, in a two-woman drums-and-guitar punk band with the wonderful name of Heavens to Betsy." Tucker is usually the front person and lead singer. One reviewer noted, "Her voice is enormous, with a natural swing--the sort of swing that neither Tina Turner nor Mick Jagger has ever had, the ability to take a note and ring it like a bell in a tower." Heavens to Betsy Tucker was a founding member of the influential riot grrrl band Heavens to Betsy along with Tracy Sawyer, a longtime friend from Eugene, Oregon. Tucker played the first public show of her career when the band performed at the International Pop Underground Convention in August 1991. Heavens to Betsy recorded a split single with Bratmobile, and a number of singles for independent record labels. The band released a self-titled demo in 1992, the four-song 7" record These Monsters Are Real in 1992, the album Calculated in 1994, and the 7" four-song Direction in 1994. The band broke up in 1994. Rolling Stone wrote, "Heavens to Betsy [was] one of the standout acts connected to the riot-grrrl movement." Heartless Martin Heartless Martin, was Tucker's "one-off collaboration" with Becca Albee of Excuse 17. Heartless Martin released a five-song EP, Tonight. One reviewer noted, "This EP is a definite stunner with heart breaking simple songs and lyrics highlighting Corin’s voice as it cuts through the lo-fi recording and lands square in the middle of your chest." Sleater-Kinney After Heavens to Betsy split in 1994, Tucker formed Sleater-Kinney with Excuse 17 member Carrie Brownstein and friend Lora McFarlane. Tucker wrote most of the lyrics, sang lead vocals, and played second guitar to Brownstein's lead, with the duo collaborating on music. Janet Weiss eventually replaced McFarlane on drums. In 1999, Esquire said Sleater-Kinney was "the best band in the world." They released