Since art is a reflection of life, singer/songwriter Lizza Connor welcomes the listener to her perspective via her tastefully executed debut, Runaway. Connor, winner in the prestigious Merlefest songwriting competition, fuses her personal journal of experience and observations on life in song. The result is a unique blend country, bluegrass, gospel and folk music. As a daughter of Northern Florida and now a Nashville transplant, Connor grew up on an eclectic diet of sounds from country singers like George Jones and Tammy Wynette, cowboy poets Ian Tyson and Eddy Arnold, pop songwriters such as Simon and Garfunkel, and southern gospel/bluegrass staples like Ricky Scaggs and Jeff and Sheri Easter. She hit her own musical stride at 15, when a golf tournament inspired her to her current profession. A friend of the family set up a charity tournament to raise support for Connor's father's regional political campaign, and Vince Gill signed on to attend the event and perform a benefit concert at the request of a participating golf pro/campaign supporter. Over the course of 18 holes, Gill got word that Connor was a big admirer of his and shared his love for acoustic music. Mid-concert Gill invited Connor to share the stage for a song, and the event became the catalyst that prompted her to pursue her passion for music. Following the concert, Connor bought her first guitar and has since been honing her musical skills with weekly guitar lessons and a regular schedule of writ