Catrese Green (West) was born in Rocky Mount, NC and grew up in the small town of Sharpsburg, 5 miles further south. She got her pseudonym from her grandmother who nicknamed her “Minnesota Fats” because she was a chubby baby. The nickname was shortened to Mini and has stuck with her over the years. Although both of her parents were gifted singers in two different bands, Mini began singing with her father in a Top 40 band called “Electric Image” in 1990. The band traveled throughout the southern United States performing for many different types of audiences. With the band she was exposed to and performed music from the R&B, Country, Blues, Jazz Southern Soul and Beach genres. She has covered songs by Aretha Franklin, Gladys Knight, Shania Twain, Alicia Keyes, The Supremes and various Southern Soul music and Beach music artists.

She now has her own band that performs her original music as well as cover tunes. She has been touring throughout Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina. Her album entitled “Can’t Stop Me” was released in December of 2015. The hit song “Ole School Style” as well as other singles from the album, are receiving national airplay on Beach and Southern Soul music stations. “Ole School Style” was #1 on Soul Dog’s Smokin’ Top 45 Southern Soul Hits countdown for the months of April and May 2016. She has performed at Blues festivals alongside greats such as Roy C., Maurice Wynn and Clarence Carter.

She opened the Carolina Beach Music Awards Industry Awards in 2016 at the Spanish Galleon and has also done countless guest spots with other bands such as Jim Quick and Coastline, Big Time Party Band and the Marsh Morgan Band. She was also nominated for BEST FEMALE VOCALIST, BEST CLUB SONG and BEST DEBUT in the 2016 in the Daddy B. Nice Southern Soul awards alongside industry veterans such as Ms. Jody and Nellie Tiger Travis.