Courtesy Ashlee Rose got her first record deal when she was 15.

SHE IS: Ashlee Rose

THE SOUND: Roots rock/folk. Think Sheryl Crow and Melissa Etheridge with some Indigo Girls thrown in.

THE WEB: myspace.com/ashleerosemusic

ALBUMS: Ashlee Rose (2004); Iron Roses (2006)

THE BACKGROUND: At 18, Rose, a San Antonio native, already has secured a spot in the local singer/songwriter scene. She started playing guitar at 10. At 12, she wrote her first song, “Drive,” in which she rhymed “Texas” with “Lexus.” At 14, she and the Krybabies made the finals in a Seventeen magazine contest for teen bands. At 15, she was signed to the independent label TEG records. A graduate of the North East School of the Arts, she's now studying music production and other related topics at the Community of Music Industry Arts.

HER WORDS: Iron Roses has a clear blues influence, but Rose said she's moving toward straight-up rock. “We're getting into classic-rock sound mixing with the new pop sound. It's going to be interesting to find the balance,” she said. “It's Led Zeppelin-style meeting Kelly Clarkson rock. I just love to belt, and of course Kelly Clarkson is the No. 1 belter out there.”

WHERE TO SEE HER: Rose will play a solo acoustic show at 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 8, at the Order Up in the Colonnade, 9873 I-10 West. At 8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 9, she'll play the Blue Cactus Café, 13525 Wetmore Road, backed by a full band. The Ashlee Rose Band consists of Rose on lead vocals, rhythm guitar and occasionally bass; Roderick “Rocket” Ross on lead guitar; Brian Ingmanson on drums; and Sam Calvert on bass.

THE 210 TAKE: No wonder Rose has made it so far: She combines hard work with a strong voice and songwriting skills, but she doesn't take herself too seriously (her guitar is a sparkly purple and pink Daisy Rock number). Catch a live show and prepare to be impressed.

Jessica Belasco | 210SA Contributor