The music scene in Basking Ridge heats up as summer approaches with three Saturday night concerts in a row at the Ross Farm. Kicking the month of music off on June 8, Liz Longley makes her first appearance at the historic estate.
Best known for her stop-you-in-your-tracks voice, Longley is an accomplished singer-songwriter based out of Nashville. She has earned accolades from some of the most prestigious songwriting competitions in the country, including the BMI John Lennon Songwriting Scholarship Competition. Longley’s self-titled debut album received critical acclaim, described as a “thing of beauty” by Pop Dose, and “packed with instantly memorable pop rock songs” by Pop Matters. Her follow-up album, Weightless, released in 2016 was praised as “stunning” by HuffPost and “something more; a cleverness, a wit and a mix of musical styles” by the Dallas Morning News. Longley’s music has been featured on TV shows such as Lifetime’s “Army Wives,” ABC’s “Beauty and Beast” and MTV’s “Scream.”
Longley is a Pennsylvania native who attended the prestigious Berklee College of Music. After graduation, she says she was drawn to Nashville. “My classmates were flocking to Music City and I was excited to be part of the booming scene there,” she explained. Known for her deeply-emotional music, Longley’s songs are inspired by real life events, and as she is newly-engaged, she says, “The next record I’ll release has a few love songs that were written for my fiancé; I can only imagine the many songs that have yet to be written, now that we’re embarking on the next chapter together.”
It has been a few years since Longley has played in New Jersey, but she’s no stranger to unique venues. She remarked, “I’m lucky to play all over the country and always look forward to shows closer to where I grew up in Pennsylvania. I’ve done a few barn shows,” she continued, “I love the opportunity to play a new space, especially filled with good people and good vibes.” No doubt, then, that Longley will love playing at the Ross Farm as the venue continues to grow in its fifth year of live music hosted by the Friends of the Boudinot-Southard-Ross Estate and supported by music lovers and local business sponsors.
Gates will open at 6:30 p.m. for the 7 p.m. concert. A suggested donation of $20 for adults or $5 for students can be made at the door, or, if preferred, online via PayPal at www.RossFarm.org/event/liz-longley/. Advance registration is strongly encouraged as seating will be limited if wet weather requires the concert to be staged inside the cozy barn. A donation is not necessary to pre-register. If the concert is outdoors, guests are asked to bring lawn chairs or blankets to spread around the stage; picnics or snacks are welcome. If the concert is moved to the barn, seating will be provided.
The following Saturday night June 15, Ross Farm favorite Christian Lopez returns for an 8 p.m. concert, with doors opening at 7 p.m. RSVPs for this event are strongly encouraged at www.RossFarm.org/event/lopez-2019. Stephen Kellogg wraps up an exciting month of music at the Ross Farm on Saturday, June 22. Learn more about Kellogg at www.stephenkellogg.com.
The Ross Farm is located at 135 N. Maple Ave. in Basking Ridge. The Friends of the Boudinot=Southard-Ross Estate is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization of volunteers that plans and executes events at the historic 50+ acre site. The group was recently honored with the 2019 Bernards Township Mayor’s Arts Award for a community organization and the Somerset County Cultural and Heritage Commission’s Excellence in the Arts Award, also in the organization category. In addition to live music, the group hosts a number of visual art, education and historical events. The Ross Farm is also home to Boudinot’s Giving Garden, manned by volunteers, with all the produce being donated to Somerset County food banks and soup kitchens. Learn more about the Ross Farm at www.RossFarm.org and follow them on social media platforms – Facebook @TheRossFarm as well as Twitter and Instagram @RossFarmBR.
