Liz Longley was first featured here on Scenes in June of 2019 when she performed her Scenes Live Session and completely captivated us all with just her voice and an acoustic guitar on a couch (and I’d be remiss not to mention the sleepy pup sitting by her side, who seemed wholly unaffected by being front row at this show). By that time, the soulful singer-songwriter had already been passionately making music for more than a decade, with her debut record being released back in 2007. Longley released new music every year or two after that, until 2016 when things came to a pause. She spent some time extensively touring before returning to Nashville to record her brand new record with Grammy-nominated producer Paul Moak.
That record, Funeral For My Past, was finally released on September 18 of this year. The album was completed almost a year before, but the release was put on hold when Longley boldly decided to leave her label Sugar Hill Records, become an independent artist, and release the record on her own. Her bravery paid off when her dedicated fanbase, who she affectionately calls ‘Lizards’, showed up and pledged over $150,000 on her Kickstarter – more than $105,000 over her original goal. This made Longley go down in history as the fourth most-funded solo female musician on the crowdfunding site. This relationship with her fans has also translated to a successful Patreon venture, where Longley connects with her biggest fans through intimate Zoom concerts and online meet and greets.
About Funeral For My Past, Longley told Billboard, “I don’t know exactly how to describe the sound, but for me it’s fresh and different and grows upon what I’ve already created. I feel like it’s gonna be one that my fans really relate to, and also embrace more than any other because a lot of people who listen to my music come out to shows and seem to prefer the stripped-down sound. I’ve tried to chase a sound on record that touches them like my live show does, yet brings it to another level. I think I’ve finally done that.”
While Covid-19 has certainly put a pause on the busy touring schedule that usually follows an album release, Longley has been promoting Funeral For My Past with socially distant outdoor concerts in Nashville, and already has shows set to take place around the U.S. in mid-2021. Keep up with more updates at lizlongley.com.
