Biography:

If you are a fan of singer-songwriter/folk/Americana music, you’ve probably heard Amy Speace’s name over the past few years trumpeted by many heralding her as a ‘torchbearer’, bridging the gap between old and new schools of folk music from Mary Gauthier to Judy Collins, who recorded Amy’s song “Weight of the World,” calling it ‘one of the best anti-war songs I’ve heard.’ In April 2013, Amy will release her latest collection of songs, How To Sleep In A Stormy Boat (WindBone Records/Tone Tree). A document to living gracefully with grief, it is a deeply honest 11 song journey that includes a stand-out duet with Grammy-nominated John Fullbright (“The Sea and the Shore”) as well as guests Ben Sollee on cello and Mary Gauthier both singing and co-writing the track “Left Me Hanging.”

“It is the most daring, confident, ambitious and beautiful album Amy Speace has made since she began recording…she has never sung or written better,” says rock journalist Dave Marsh in the liner notes that accompany the record. “Speace’s songs hang together like a short story collection, united by a common vantage point and common predicaments…it’s a gift to hear a heart so modest even when it’s wide open.”

Speace began her artistic career in NYC as an actress, studying at The National Shakespeare Conservatory and then working with the National Shakespeare Company for a few years before picking up the guitar to write songs. Discovered by Judy Collins in 2005, Speace released two critically-acclaimed records with Collins’ owned Wildflower Records, 2006’s Songs For Bright Street, and 2009’s The Killer In Me. Ian Hunter brought Amy to the UK to open his 2008 Acoustic Tour and then made a rare guest appearance dueting on two songs on The Killer In Me. In 2009, Speace moved to Nashville, TN and began working on her 2011 release, Land Like A Bird (Thirty Tigers/RED). In 2012, she toured in Europe opening for Alejandro Escovedo and wrote the song cycle that is now How To Sleep In A Stormy Boat and recorded the album with Producer Nielson Hubbard. Prior to the release of the new album, Speace will have taped a session for the Acoustic Cafe radio show, and showcased the new material at the international Folk Alliance conference & at the SXSW Music & Media conference. She tapes a new segment for Mountain Stage on April 21st. Her tour to promote the new album begins April 4th and will run well into 2014.

(as of 2.23.13