Liz Longley / Ryan Laperle

Liz Longley is the grand prize winner of the 2009 Rocky Mountain Folk Festival's Songwriters Showcase. In addition to receiving a custom Hayes guitar, Longley will be performing next summer on the main stage at Colorado's prestigious festival. She was also honored as a finalist at Texas's 2009 Kerrville Folk Fest and New York's 2009 Falcon Ridge Folk Fest.

The Telegraph of New Hampshire said, "Longley's songs swell with honesty and genuine emotion that most of us are unable to admit to but recognize all the same."

Singer/songwriting icon John Mayer, who surprised Longley and classmates when he broke into and impromptu rendition of Longley's song "Queen," has described her music as "gorgeous... just gorgeous!"

Longley and Jim Tullio cowrote the internet smash "Naked Trees," which in 2006 earned the distinction as GarageBand.com's No. 1 all-time song in the acoustic singer/songwriter category.

In addition to regularly sharing the stage with Livingston Taylor, Longley has opened for acclaimed acts such as Colin Hay, Nanci Griffith, Kenny Rankin, and Jonathan Edwards. 

This summer, Longley released her second full-length CD, Somewhere in the Middle, produced by Grammy Award-winner Glenn Barratt at Morningstar Studios.

Ryan Laperle's music reflects his passion for the pursuit of musical expression. The acoustic guitarist/vocalist, whose 2003 EP is Crashed into Infinity, writes and composes music that bares his soul. He is working on his EP Disguise and preparing for a solo tour.