In the streaming era, when it proves more and more difficult for artists to find the support they need, independent singer-songwriter Liz Longley stands out as a singular exception. The Nashville-based musician has found a loving give-and-take with listeners: Longley shares her music with the world, enriching fans’ lives, and in return, they provided her with the means necessary for her to make music on her own terms.
The bond she shares with her fans transcends the usual artist-fan dynamic, and never has this been more apparent than in the build-up to the release of her seventh studio album, Funeral For My Past. After extensive touring—including supporting Amos Lee, Shawn Colvin, Paula Cole, Delta Rae, and others—Longley returned to Nashville in December 2018 to record her latest effort at Smoakstack Studio. She realized soon following the LP’s completion that it needed a home other than her former label Sugar Hill Records. The amicable split led to Longley gathering funds via Kickstarter to both purchase the rights to Funeral For My Past and cover promotion costs. Her fans quickly surpassed her original goal of $45,000, raising a shocking $150,000 and making Longley the fourth most-funded solo female musician on Kickstarter.
The elements of Longley’s demeanor that have helped her foster such a connection with her fans show up throughout the album itself, which distills her Americana-inflected style into an auditory cup of tea spiked with whiskey. It’s at times cozy and heartwarming, but with a bite that makes each track difficult to forget. 
She may be our collective confidante, but Longley had her own crew of accomplices to bring Funeral For My Past to life. Drummer Fred Eltringham (Sheryl Crow, Willie Nelson, Jake Bugg), bassist Tony Lucido (Mat Kearney, Ingrid Michaelson, Will Hoge), and electric guitarist Kris Donegan (Kim Richey, Peter Bradley Adams, Cam) all came together under the guidance of Grammy-nominated producer Paul Moak (Mat Kearney, The Weeks, Caitlyn Smith). Moak curated the LP’s warm sound by recording Longley and the studio musicians both on tape and digitally. Their in-studio chemistry lends the record lightning-in-a-bottle quality.
Longley’s latest effort is the perfect companion for the heavy-hearted, but can also soundtrack deliriously joyful moments. She navigates this emotional elasticity with an earthy, unmistakable voice while proving that positive steps forward in life, both personal and professional, start with letting go of the past.

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