A native of Baltimore, Amy Speace has a background in acting, and even once studied voice in hopes of an operatic future. She not only has performed Shakespeare, but also taught it.

But she chucked it all for a $50 guitar from a pawnshop and a late start as a singer/songwriter. Speace's first solo disc, 2002's "Fable," was financed completely by devoted fans, and set her career as a solo artist in motion.

You can size up Speace for yourself when she and her band, The Tearjerks, walk through The Blue Door 8 p.m. Thursday.

TOURING
Though she tours most of the year, Speace usually test-drives her material with her friends before playing in front of audiences as a means of quality control. 

"I have this group of really extraordinary friends who are also amazing songwriters, and we get together every six months or so to do a few days together or a writing retreat, where we do group writing exercises and we share songs, and put them up for critiques," she said.

Having just completed a tour of Europe where some people "get" Americana and some don't, Speace and The Tearjerks are looking forward to a friendly welcome in Oklahoma.

So give Speace a chance. "Tory Troutman