With a promising future ahead of her, Liz Longley is a humble individual, full of thank-yous and smiles, complete with a genuine, easy to get along with attitude. The "folk-pop-singer-songwriter" ("with hints of country and jazz," she explains laughing) is so easy going; talking with her is like catching up with an old friend you haven't seen in years. In the midst of standard questions and answers ("How many songs have you written?" "Maybe 200?" "When did you write your first song?" "14."), we giggled and chatted like any other pair of 20-something girls, mixing in some girl-talk and stories.

Longley majored in songwriting at Berklee College of Music and "loved it!" Of the opportunities this created, she explains, "I really jumped on every [one]" and considered all of them "serious chances to grow and learn." She elaborates, "they [professors] give you a bag of tools. You still write from your heart, but if you need those tools, you have them."

There's no other way to describe where Longley's songs come from than her heart. Her songs share a level of honesty unlike any other artist. She explains, "I draw from life experiences and thankfully I've had a lot to process." "I hope [my] honesty really draws people to it, even though [the songs are] really specific."

This honesty could create potential problems for Longley, especially when the songs are less than loving. To this she responds, "it's worth the risk to write honestly. In my life I'm open about everything. There's no reason to hide." She also "loves that honesty allows people to connect to me on a deeper level. It's worth it!"

And connect they do. Longley played her acoustic set to a captivated audience who couldn't get enough. One fan in particular erupted with applause before she fully finished her cover of Van Morrison's "Moondance." Longley was spectacular, her hauntingly beautiful voice echoing through the venue. Playing staples like "When You've Got Trouble," "Unraveling," and "Free," (all from Hot Loose Wire) plus other favorites ("Out of My Head," "Bird on a Wire" and the duet "Peace of Mind" with Jesse Ruben), the audience was undoubtedly pleased with her set.

If you missed the show, fear not. You can taste a sample of the set with Hot Loose Wire. A stripped down, acoustic record, it illustrates how she currently performs. "I [laid] down those bare tracks and had enough for an album; that's how I’m playing them." What you get live is what you get on the album, and vice versa. But, perhaps only for now. Longley says she "definitely" wants more production on the next album, for which she has a "fever" for; "I’m getting album fever and I can't wait to make another!" Until we have a new album, we'll just have to catch Longley out on the road as she plans on "touring constantly."

Longley's name is followed by a hefty list of accolades (including the 2010 John Lennon Scholarship Winner), which should come as a surprise to no one. She. Is. Fantastic. See for yourself. Check her out on iTunes, lizlongley.com and her Facebook fan page. Liz Longley is a melodic gem of an artist who you cannot miss.