Join us in welcoming writer Brad Ryan and his Grandma Joy to celebrate the release of his book Grandma Joy and Me: A Journey of Healing, One National Park at a Time.

Raised in Appalachia, Grandma Joy lived a life shaped by hardship and limitations, while her grandson Brad struggled with family rifts and unresolved pain. Together, they embarked on a seven-year journey to visit all sixty-three U.S. National Parks, from the towering peaks of Denali to the otherworldly beauty of the Everglades. Along the way, they discovered that their adventure was about more than exploring America's wild landscapes. Each park offered new opportunities for understanding, forgiveness, and healing. Grandma Joy and Me tells the remarkable story of a grandmother and grandson overcoming generations of hurt through their shared love of nature. An exploration of family, resilience, and the power of human connection, their journey ultimately made Grandma Joy, at ninety-three, the oldest person to visit every U.S. National Park.

This event is free and open to the public.

Join host DJ Red-I as she dives into the 14-track Cleveland dance music compilation Phamily Reunion.

Rooted in a love for house music and the culture built around it, Phamily Reunion is music made to move to. The release features local producers and artists making funky, soulful, house-leaning electronic music with a hip-hop-adjacent feel. Built for listeners, dancers, DJs, and collectors, the compilation highlights a Cleveland music community creating groove-driven electronic sounds on its own terms.

Brittany Benton, also known as DJ Red-I and Phamily Foto, is a Cleveland-based DJ, DJ teacher, producer, entrepreneur, community builder, creativity advocate, and sound designer. She is the owner of Brittany’s Record Shop, an independent shop rooted in hip-hop, reggae, soul, and physical music culture, as well as the founder of YES PLS Records. A 2009 Ohio University graduate whose studies combined Spanish and media, Benton has spent more than a decade creating spaces where DJs, producers, artists, collectors, and listeners can connect. . 

Drop the Needle is a unique community listening experience that celebrates the art and history of vinyl records. Each session features a guest expert who delves into the story behind a chosen artist and their iconic album. The expert will guide us through the artist’s career, creative process, production techniques, and the cultural context surrounding the recording of the featured album. After the discussion, we “drop the needle” and listen together to Side A and Side B of the album in its entirety, savoring each track as it was meant to be heard. This shared listening session fosters a deeper appreciation of the music and invites participants to experience the album as a cohesive work of art. Following the listening session, we open the floor for a community discussion. Attendees are encouraged to share their reactions, insights, and questions, making this an interactive and enriching event for music lovers of all backgrounds. Whether you’re a long-time vinyl enthusiast or new to the format, “Drop the Needle” offers a welcoming space to explore, listen, and connect through the power of music.

This event is free and open to the public.

The Dreadful Yawns are back and playing their delightful blend of 21st century country rock and soft psychedelia. The Yawns have been entertaining audiences with their thoughtful songs and warm vocal harmonies for over 25 years.

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

Join us from 2 pm - 4pm as we welcome Well to our stage for another Saturday Session.

This Cleveland-based quartet that improvises freely with strong, compositional intent. Dan Wenninger (saxophones), Torstein Johansen (upright bass), Mat Weisman (drums), and Evan Moran (guitars, keyboards, effects) thread elements of jazz, the avant garde, and experimental rock into a textured, episodic sound.

This event is free and open to the public.

Saturday Sessions are part of our Echoes music series, a free monthly series celebrating Cleveland’s homegrown music scene through five distinct events, each with its own dedicated day of the month. For more information about the Saturday Sessions and our other Echoes events, check out the link below.

Get ready for a lively night of folk, bluegrass, and Americana with a few unexpected twists! Join us on Saturday, November 21 for a special concert with Lea Marra & The River Boys with Cowboy Princess Brigade kicking off the evening with an eclectic mix of funk, folk, and rock and roll.

Lea Marra & The River Boys are a high-energy Cleveland, Ohio-based “folkgrass” band blending bluegrass, folk, and Americana, formed in 2023. Led by singer-songwriter Lea Marra, the group features raw, rust-belt storytelling, five-part harmonies, and danceable, string-band instrumentation, releasing their debut album Ace Of Cups in March 2024 and sophomore album Raccoon County in May 2026. Marra’s writing is influenced by Sierra Ferrell, The Chicks, Hot Rize, Dolly Parton, and Tyler Childers. Her vocal style has been compared to Stevie Nicks, Bonnie Raitt, Alanis Morissette, and Susan Tedeschi. The River Boys are influenced by many different genres and add complementary rhythms, licks, and musicality to Marra’s songs. Lea Marra & The River Boys have achieved significant milestones, including being named the 2025 Incubator Artist for Cleveland Rocks: Past, Present & Future, a Best New Artist nominee for The Cleveland Music Awards, Featured in Cleveland Magazine “4 Cleveland Country Bands We Love”, releasing two albums and opening for national acts like The Hen House Prowlers, Michael Cleveland, & The Steel Wheels. 

Cowboy Princess Brigade is a Glam-mericana freaky funk folk band from Cleveland, OH. Featuring guitar, ukulele, fiddle, trombone, banjo, bass, and drums, this eclectic combination makes a visually interesting and acoustically dynamic band. The group draws on a wide range of American musical influences, from jazz and bluegrass to rock and roll. Their sound is spontaneous and ever evolving. No two shows are the same.

This show is open to the public. Tickets are $15 and are available for pre-sale and at the door.

The day before Thanksgiving, join us at Visible Voice Books for an evening celebrating one of America’s most beloved musical icons: Dolly Parton!

Cleveland’s own Rachel Brown brings Dolly’s music and remarkable story to life, sharing the songs, stories, and spirit of a true American original. Rachel has been presenting her long-running Dolly Parton tribute show for years, making her a wonderful person to guide us through Dolly’s incredible legacy, from her unforgettable songs and storytelling to her lasting influence on American music and culture.

As we gather on the eve of Thanksgiving, there’s no better way to kick off the holiday than with an evening of music, stories, and gratitude for the artists who bring us together. Come celebrate the music, heart, humor, and generosity of Dolly Parton!

An evening of music and storytelling that’s sure to leave you feeling thankful, inspired, and maybe even humming a Dolly tune all the way home.

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

Get ready for an evening of old-school American roots music as Visible Voice Books welcomes Bent String to our stage! Blending early jazz, acoustic blues, and classic country with their own original tunes, this talented quartet brings a fresh energy to timeless musical traditions.

Led by the soulful vocals of KariAnn Rutushin, Bent String features Dallas Coffey on acoustic bass, Reed Simon on fiddle, and Kevin T. Richards on archtop guitar. Together, they bring the sounds of early American music to life with plenty of rhythm and a little vintage charm.

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

Join us from 2 pm - 4pm as we welcome Doug Wood to our stage for another Saturday Session.

Doug Wood's instrumental guitar playing is inspired from multiple artists and genres, from compositional elements like progressive rock groups Yes and Genesis, to rhythmic pieces that model Leo Kottke and Michael Hedges.  His music has been featured regularly on NPR and PBS, and he regularly injects his personal stories of travels throughout the country.

This event is free and open to the public.

Saturday Sessions are part of our Echoes music series, a free monthly series celebrating Cleveland’s homegrown music scene through five distinct events, each with its own dedicated day of the month. For more information about the Saturday Sessions and our other Echoes events, check out the link below.

Visible Voice Books is excited to welcome Rye Valley and guest Zach Angeloni 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.


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”.

Zach Angeloni is a Cleveland based artist who draws on shared human experience to inspire his music. With songs championing characters and the portraits of humanity, his use of imagery and pathos pull listeners in while allowing them space to weave their own stories into the music. Ranging from indie rock, to folk and Americana, his music explores all aspects of what songwriting can be, and rejects the notion that songs must fit any one mold. Drawing on a wide range of musical influences from contemporary artists such as Big Thief, Courtney Barnett, Wilco, and Parquet Courts, to classic bands and songwriters such as Television, James Taylor, and Townes Van Zandt, Zach Angeloni asks us to search for and feel connection through his songs. 

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

Join us from 2–4pm as we welcome G.S. Harper to our stage for another Saturday Session.

G.S. Harper is a Texas-born, Cleveland-based Americana singer-songwriter and guitarist whose music draws comparisons to artists like Lucinda Williams, Guy Clark, and Steve Earle. A self-taught guitarist who began playing at age 12, Harper has spent decades honing his craft as both a songwriter and performer. He has released five solo albums, beginning with Waiting for April in 2002 and most recently New Mexico Dirt in 2016. In addition to his solo work, Harper performs alongside Mike Starcher in Cuyahoga Slim and works as a session and freelance guitarist for touring musicians passing through Cleveland.

This event is free and open to the public

Saturday Sessions are part of our Echoes music series, a free monthly series celebrating Cleveland’s homegrown music scene through five distinct events, each with its own dedicated day of the month. For more information about the Saturday Sessions and our other Echoes events, check out the link below.

Visible Voice Books is excited to welcome Baker's Basement and Victory Cake to our stage for an evening of inventive folk music! Cleveland duo Baker's Basement brings their own quirky spin to the genre, pairing playful vocal harmonies with infectious rhythms and a homemade bucket drum. Joining them is the three-woman group Victory Cake, whose rich vocal harmonies blend choral folk with a touch of melancholy pop. Together, the two bands promise an evening that's equal parts playful and heartfelt, with plenty of surprises along the way.

Bakers Basement is a two-piece, Cleveland based, adventure folk band the Baker’s Basement (tBB) features the eclectic musical stylings of vocalist/drummer Kate Dedinsky and vocalist/guitarist Adam Grindler. At their rhythmic core pulses an orange striped, homemade, bucket-drum concoction, the funky back beat on which Dedinsky performs standing up with her signature swagger and sway. The duo’s intimate sound, rooted in a spirited flavor of folk music and topped with playful vocal layers, often volleyed to-and-fro across the stage, offers a humorous yet heart-wrenching sonic signature that’s altogether their own.  

Victory Cake is a three-woman band with deep a cappella roots.  Leaning into choral folk and sadgirl/madgirl pop, they'll sweep you into a beautifully melancholy mood.

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

Get ready to rock around the Christmas tree as Visible Voice Books welcomes Bridge The Gap to our stage this December! This six-piece, electric violin-fronted cover band puts an electrifying spin on familiar favorites, blending rock and pop with the larger-than-life sound and theatrical energy of Trans-Siberian Orchestra and Electric Light Orchestra.

For this special holiday performance, Bridge The Gap is turning up the volume on the season with a festive setlist featuring Trans-Siberian Orchestra classics, beloved Christmas songs, and plenty of classic rock favorites. With soaring electric violin, driving rhythms, and a whole lot of holiday spirit, the band brings a fresh twist to the traditional Christmas concert. Whether you're a die-hard rock fan or just looking for a fun way to celebrate the season, this is one holiday show that promises to be anything but a silent night!

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

Visible Voice Books is excited to welcome Tall Paul & Western Drawl to our stage for their Holiday Roundup concert! Known for their lively take on classic western swing and dance hall music, the band is bringing a little country charm to the holiday season with a special performance featuring original seasonal songs, Christmas classics, and instrumental favorites.

From playful, toe-tapping tunes to quieter, heartfelt moments, Tall Paul & Western Drawl have put their own western spin on the sounds of the season. Whether you're a longtime fan of western swing or just looking for a fun way to get into the holiday spirit, this festive evening is sure to leave you feeling merry and bright!

This event is open to the public. Tickets are $20 and available for pre-sale and at the door.

Join Roots of American Music for a special evening celebrating the life, legacy, and music of pianist and composer Vince Guaraldi, performed by Cleveland-based pianist Nate Yingling.

Best known for his iconic soundtrack for the Peanuts television specials, Guaraldi created a sound that brought jazz into American homes in a uniquely memorable way while bridging the gap of making jazz approachable for all ages!

Guaraldi’s work introduced generations of listeners to jazz, pairing sophisticated musicianship with an inviting, accessible sound. His compositions remain a beloved part of American popular culture, returning to the forefront each holiday season while continuing to inspire musicians and listeners of all ages.

Nate Yingling is a Cleveland-based pianist, keyboardist, and composer whose musical approach draws from jazz, funk, neo-soul, and contemporary fusion. Through his work as a performer and arranger, Yingling explores the connections between jazz tradition and modern musical expression.

For this special performance, Yingling will revisit Guaraldi’s celebrated catalog, bringing new life to familiar melodies while honoring the spirit, charm, and musical craftsmanship that made them enduring classics. He’ll be in great company with Steve Renko on drums and George DeLancey on upright bass.

Come experience an evening of music, stories, and appreciation for one of America’s most beloved jazz composers and rediscover the music that has become a soundtrack to the holiday season.

Visible Voice Books is excited to welcome Tim Easton to our stage! A seasoned singer-songwriter with roots in Akron and a career that's taken him from the streets of Europe to stages across the country, Easton has spent decades crafting thoughtful, heartfelt Americana music. Opening the evening is Austin-based folk-pop singer-songwriter Matt the Electrician, whose quirky humor and knack for storytelling have earned him a devoted following. Together, these two accomplished songwriters promise an intimate evening of original music, memorable stories, and plenty of personality.

Born in Upstate New York and raised in Tokyo and Akron, Ohio, Tim Easton grew up immersed in the music of legendary songwriters and folk artists through his older siblings' record collections. After graduating from Ohio State University with a degree in English specializing in poetry, he spent seven years busking throughout Europe before returning to the United States to record his first solo album in Nashville. His songwriting earned him a publishing deal with EMI in 1999, followed by a move to Los Angeles, where he performed at celebrated songwriter venues like Largo and signed with New West Records. His 2001 album The Truth About Us, featuring three members of Wilco, helped launch tours alongside John Hiatt and Lucinda Williams. His follow-up, Break Your Mother's Heart, earned a four-star review from Rolling Stone, which praised his songwriting for its "novelist's sense of humanity."

Matt the Electrician is the musical moniker of Matthew Sever, an Austin-based folk-pop singer-songwriter known for his offbeat humor and heartfelt songwriting. Originally from the West Coast, Matt moved to Austin in 1996 to pursue music full-time and has since built an extensive career performing throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, and Japan.Since 1998, he has independently released 11 studio albums, two live albums, and seven vinyl 45s, with his music appearing in television shows, films, and commercials. His latest release, 2026's Let's Play Two, is a baseball-themed two-song vinyl single featuring Boston Red Sox organist Josh Kantor and a guest voice-over by actor Nick Offerman. A natural storyteller onstage, Matt is known for weaving humor and spontaneous audience interactions into his performances. As Dennis Cook of JamBase put it, "nothing feels rote or routine – it’s all happening in the minutes we share and one leaves better for the experience."

This event is open to the public. Tickets are $20 and available for presale and at the door.