Amy Speace

Description of Amy Speace's Music:

Singer-songwriter, contemporary folk music

Comparisons:

Amy Speace is one of a long line of observational singer-songwriters. Her subtle twang, soulful vocals, and thoughtful lyrics will likely resonate with fans of folks like Patty Griffin and Dar Williams. Since Speace is also on Judy Collins' record label, fans of Speace may also be interested in delving deeper into Collins' work.

Recommended Amy Speace CDs:

Edith O (Nadabrahma Records, 1998)

Fable (Twangirl Music, 2002)

Songs for Bright Street (Wildflower, 2006)

Purchase/Download Amy Speace MP3s:

"Row Row Row"
"Double Wide Trailer"
"Fable"

Amy Speace Biography:

Amy Speace was born in Baltimore and raised in Pennsylvania. After attending Amherst College, Speace toured with the National Shakespeare Company, intending to make her living as a stage actor and playwright. She moved to New York City to further pursue a career in the theater, ran a theater company, and taught Shakespeare. She soon taught herself to play guitar, started writing songs, and began performing as part of a duo called Edith O.

In 2002, she raised $5,000 from fans to finance her debut self-released album Fable. Following the disc's release, she went on tour as a musician (turning her focus away from theater) and played as frequently as she could, catching the attention of Judy Collins' manager at a SXSW showcase. Collins eventually signed Speace to her Wildflower label and released Speace's second album, Songs for Bright Street.

Following that album's release, Speace continued to tour extensively throughout the U.S. and Europe, slowly winning over fans and critics alike. Her 10-year marriage, however, broke up, and she took to writing songs for a third disc, The Killer in Me from a rented cabin in the Catskills. That disc has received critical acclaim from publications as diverse as the Washington Post and Paste Magazine.