Liz Longley, The Young Fables, and Striking Matches

Liz Longley

Best known for her stop-you-in-your-tracks voice, Liz Longley is an accomplished singer-songwriter based out of Nashville, TN. With her deeply emotional music, Longley has earned accolades from some of the most prestigious songwriting competitions in the country, including the BMI John Lennon Songwriting Scholarship Competition. Her self-titled debut album received critical acclaim, being described as “something more; a cleverness, a wit and a mix of musical styles” (Dallas Morning News) and “stunning” (HuffPost). Her follow up album Weightless, released in 2016, was praised as “a thing of beauty” (Pop Dose) and “packed with instantly memorable pop rock songs…” (Popmatters).

The Berklee College of Music grad worked alongside 5-time Grammy-nominated producer, Paul Moak, on her much awaited sixth album, Funeral For my Past. The journey of her self-release made music industry headlines when her devoted fanbase raised over $150,000 to help her purchase the rights to and independently release the album. Longley became the #4 most funded solo female musician in Kickstarter history – a story covered by Billboard Magazine.

Embraced by the press and music fans alike, Funeral For My Past was described as a “…stunning new album!” (Forbes), “…from Americana to gospel-flavored soul to shimmering pop anthems” (Billboard) and included in “100 Albums Released in 2020 to Put on Your Radar” (Newsweek). 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 provide her with the means necessary for her to make music on her own terms.

The Young Fables

The Young Fables (TYF) create music with classic storytelling weaved into Americana roots music with pop sensibilities. East Tennessee (Maryville) natives, Laurel Wright and Wes Lunsford are influenced by timeless treasures like Patsy Cline, Bonnie Raitt, Glen Campbell and Chet Atkins. The duo’s unique sound has resonated with audiences around the globe as live performances have become stages from which The Young Fables discuss themes and topics typically saved for the therapy couch. Strong advocates for mental health awareness, The Young Fables are focused on helping to erase the stigmas surrounding the topic. Recognizing the duo’s advocacy, the pair were honored with The Troy Gentry Compassion Award in 2021 for compassion, commitment, kindness and love.

Their whimsical yet unmistakable blend of country and Americana pop has garnered praise from industry icons and tastemakers. Nine-time GRAMMY® Award winner Sheryl Crow once tweeted, “Laurel’s as good as any country singer out there!” Their releases have earned them recognition, including a spot on Rolling Stone’s “10 Best Country and Americana Songs of the Week.” They have also had the privilege of supporting artists such as Vince Gill, Amy Grant, and Rascal Flatts, as well as being invited by multi-platinum songstress Shania Twain to participate in the CBS showcase celebration Real Country. Twain praised, “Wes is a perfect partner for Laurel’s voice. I fell in love with these guys as genuine, authentic talents.” Travis Tritt added, “Our industry needs (TYF) right now!” In September of 2023, the duo was honored as BMI & Texas Roadhouse’s Artists of the Month, resulting in their music videos being showcased in locations across the United States.

In October 2024, Wright and Lunsford will unveil their fourth studio album, Short Stories, alongside their feature documentary ‘The Fable of a Song’, which clinched the Nashville Film Festival Audience Choice Award. “Each album we release serves as a journal entry for us, and Short Stories represents the next chapter,” Wright explains. “We feel fortunate to have a platform to share our music and are grateful that our story resonates with others, aiding in their healing. That’s a reward unlike any other.”

Striking Matches

After meeting in a guitar seminar class at Nashville’s Belmont University in 2007, Sarah Zimmermann and Justin Davis combined their talents began honing their songwriting and performance skills. Shortly thereafter, they quit school to pursue their music career full-time. On a trip to Nashville, the music supervisor for the television series Nashville, Frankie Pine, heard Justin Davis and Sarah Zimmermann who performed for her at the office of Universal Publishing, and decided to use their songs on the show.

When the Right One Comes Along became their first song to be featured in the show, and a total of nine of their songs have been featured in the show’s four seasons. The duo became signed to the newly revived I.R.S. Records label, their debut album Nothing but the Silence, produced by T Bone Burnett, was released on March 22, 2015. The album debuted at No. 25 on the Top Country Albums chart, with 1,800 copies sold for its debut week. It also reached No. 1 on UK Country iTunes. The duo’s music has been described as being found at “that sweet spot at the intersection of country, rock and blues”. Regarded as a countrified Civil Wars/Black Keys, Striking Matches employ tight vocal harmonies in their guitar-driven music.