Visible Voice Books is excited to welcome Rye Valley to our stage! Hailing from the heart of the Cuyahoga River Valley, Rye Valley brings a distinctly Rust Belt spirit to Americana music. With original songs rooted in working-class life and a sound all their own, the band delivers an evening of heartfelt, down-to-earth music that feels right at home in Northeast Ohio. Opening the evening is Brent Kirby, an award-winning singer-songwriter and longtime fixture of Cleveland's music scene. Known for his work with the Jack Fords and The New Soft Shoe, Kirby has earned a reputation as one of the city's hardest-working musicians.


Rye Valley grew out of the rich musical soil unique to Akron, Ohio, after nearly a decade of casual collaboration between founding members, Brett Auerbach (not related to Dan) and Landon Kearns. The two formally launched Rye Valley in 2021 to showcase the pairing of Auerbach’s heartfelt songwriting and soulful tenor with Kearns’s percussive multi-instrumentalism and subtle harmonies. Tyler Lobdell’s guitar wizardry brought a trio to life, further honing the emotive “Rye Valley Sound”.

In addition to receiving recognition at the 2022 Cleveland Music Awards and Cleveland Scene Awards, Brent Kirby has been a longtime favorite in the local music community, earning Cleveland Scene's "Best Musician" award in 2012 and both "Best Singer" and "Best Male Vocal" in 2013. Beyond his solo performances, Kirby keeps busy across several musical projects. He fronts the Jack Fords, who earned Cleveland Scene's "Best Rock Band" honors in 2007 and 2009, leads a monthly tribute to Gram Parsons with The New Soft Shoe, and plays drums for the Ohio City Singers. He also hosts the weekly 10 x 3 Songwriter Showcase at the Bop Stop, helping foster a welcoming community for Cleveland's original songwriters.

This event is open to the public. Tickets are $10 and are available for pre-sale and at the door.