If you’re a fan of local music, you might know of Elizabeth Hale. The lead singer of Halestorm, the band Hale shares with her brother and father, she’s had her fair share of attention since the group was formed some three years ago. She’s got an incredible set of pipes. And she may have created one of the finest singles to come from this area in a long time.

And she’s only 17. Unlike the pop princesses that may immediately come to mind, Hale is no Britney or Christina. Only because she isn’t trying to be. She’s all talent, no flash or flair or sex to sell on stage. She just sings.

Since Halestorm first hit the stage in the summer of 1997, Hale and her family have spent the past few years honing their skill and promoting their name, making the rounds of the local live band circuit, playing their mix of pop and rock — Liz backed by her 13-year-old brother, Arejay, on drums and father, Roger, on bass. Last year, Halestorm released its first album, Don’t Mess With The Time Man and, while the disc met with praise from local critics and fans alike, nothing has yet to compare with the buzz surrounding a certain song written by Liz.

Called "Rose In December," the ballad has caught the attention of many in the local music scene, from local radio stations to local publications, for not only its haunting and simplistic quality, but for the maturity evident in the words and voice of Hale. A quiet track, featuring just Hale on piano and vocals and Scott Frange of the Player’s Exchange music store in Lemoyne on cello, the power of the ballad is a surprise on the ears, jumping from the speakers with an almost plaintive fortitude, successfully telling a tale of longing in a manner not often accomplished by many. "It’s about a girl waiting for her one true love kind of thing," said Hale, succinctly. "The concept of a ‘rose in December’ — if you’d see a rose blooming in the December snow, that’s kind of odd, so, metaphorically, the rose is the girl waiting through the winter snow for her man."

Written last December, Hale says the song took five minutes to write, and admits that now, nearly a year later, she still can’t quite fathom how it all actually transpired — how a modest love song has caused such a furor. "I’m not even sure how it came to be," she said, "it just kind of came together."

And it had a little help.

After she recorded a demo, Hale took the tape to Frange, who put in on a shelf to await listening, as he does with the many demos he receives at his shop. Unlike the others he receives at his store, though, when he listened to Hale’s song, he was immediately affected and was able to compose the cello part in 10 minutes. "It is one of the most special things I’ve ever done," said Frange, a long-time musician who has enjoyed some success on the stage himself, "I think it’s one of those one-in-a-million songs — it’s hard not to be impressed when you hear it."

With Frange providing the cello, Hale’s song took a turn, the winding strings adding depth to the arrangement while maintaining the original, simplistic feel. "We didn’t want to overproduce it," explains Hale, "because if you overproduce something I think it really isn’t you anymore."

And, by all accounts, the simplistic mix was a good one. "It’s professionally done, both vocally and lyrically; it’s very well done, I think," said Ed Coffey, host of WTPA-FM’s morning show "Coffey in the Morning," who was introduced to the song by Frange. "I think that her songwriting ability shows a maturity that is far beyond her years … and I think it’s a top notch pop ballad. It’s really good, and I’m being sincere."

Slated to be released December 3 as part of the Toys For Tots concert benefit at the Harrisburg Hilton and Towers, "Rose in December" has the markings and the potential to be a breakthrough song for Hale, with some local backers whispering visions of movie soundtracks and other lofty aspirations. But for now, Hale is just happy to be part of such a magnificent experience. "I think it’s wonderful that it has been received so well," she said, before adding, humbly, "I just write songs, it’s what I do."

And, although "Rose in December" is a solo effort, Hale is quick to attest that its potential success does not signal the end of the band. "I think it’s going to open a lot of doors for a lot of different things we want to do," she said, "It’s a different page of Halestorm and I’m not going to give up on Halestorm, I just think this is an awesome adventure."

An awesome adventure, indeed.

And if there’s a rose in bloom this December, chances are it has Elizabeth Hale’s name on it.