In Summer 2025 Amy Speace found herself on a week long residency at The Blue Rock Ranch and Studio in Wimberley, TX. The break from her busy writing and touring schedule gave her an unexpected chance to slow down from her busy schedule and write and record the songs. that make up 'The Blue Rock Sessions'.
Finding inspiration in her roots, and the Bob Dylan biographical movie ‘A Complete Unknown’, Speace sat in the Blue Rock studio with only her 1956 Gibson J-45 and recorded the songs in one or two takes with no overdubs. As Speace explains:
“I didn’t plan this to be a record.. I was playing new songs, songs I was still falling in love with.. These recordings are like unretouched raw photos, not photoshopped. I wanted to capture something like what I do onstage at my shows. I play solo. I sing my songs with my guitar or a piano, and here, like in live performances, not everything is perfect. But that’s what I love about art.”
Opening the record, ‘On A Monday in London’, Speace details the less glamorous side of touring as the song weaves its way though a wet day on London streets and hanging out backstage in a less than salubrious dressing room. There’s a hint of acceptance in ‘In This Home’, a song Speace wrote at the Blue Rock retreat dealing with the break up of her marriage and the following adjustments in her life.
Speace’s vocal is a treat to the ears. Hints of classic folk artists such as Joan Baez and Judy Collins wash over the listener, yet she’s still refreshingly original. Championed by Collins and Tom Paxton she signed her first record deal in 2005 and hasn’t stopped since. Her guitar playing is subtle and never flashy, yet it highlights the strength of her musical skills. Skilful production gives the album a warm analogue sound washes over the listener like a warm bath.
The devastating Texas flood of summer 2025 provides the inspiration for ‘The Mother’, and closing out the album is a cover of Ben Glover’s uplifting ballad ‘Kindness’
‘The Blue Rock Sessions’ is a raw and honest album that highlights the strong songcraft of Amy Speace.
Amy Speace will play dates in Belfast and Derry in December. Tickets via amyspeace.com