The Caliber Band
The Caliber Band has announced that Lisa Caito will be staying with the group as their female lead singer. The band had been auditioning for a new singer, but Caito has been able to work out her schedule with her other band, Victory Highway, and will be performing with the band on all but a handful of dates. Those other dates when Caito won’t be able to perform will be filled in by Caliber’s former lead singer and current solo artist, Theresa Rose. The group will be staying busy over the next few weeks with shows scheduled at Thirsty Cowboy in Medina on Friday, March 25th and at Mapleside Farms “Concerts in the Barn” series on Friday, April, 1st. The Caliber Band, with Lisa Caito, will also be opening the show for Trace Adkins at the WGAR St. Jude Spring Jam on Wednesday, April 20th, at the Stocker Arts Center at Lorain County Community College. For directions and more information on the St. Jude Benefit show, go to www.wgar.com or click on the photo of Trace Adkins.
Christian Kaser
Christian Kaser has been traveling back and forth to Nashville since 2011, co-writing and recording, while still performing in Ohio on the fair & festival circuit and all over the Lake Erie Islands. Last year the singer opened shows for Sam Hunt, Chase Bryant, Dan+Shay, Colt Ford, Easton Corbin and Brooke Eden. In late 2015, Kaser opened a songwriting studio on Music Row in Nashville with his best friend and fellow Nashville songwriter, Taylor Phillips. He is currently working with Matt McVaney (Kane Brown), Adam Doleac (Sony), Matt Roy, and Taylor on his next set of songs. Kaser, will be finishing work on a new single later this month and it will be released on May 20th. The single, “Kissing My Lips,” will be the first of a handful of singles that will be released through the fall. Kaser was also recently added to the line up for the Buckle Up Fest at Summit Park in Blue Ash, Ohio, near Cincinnati. He will join Brad Paisley, Chase Rice, Tyler Farr, Mo Pitney, Bobby Bones & The Raging Idiots and many more on August 5th and 6th. You can find out more about Kaser and his upcoming shows at www.christiankaser.com
Terry Lee Goffee
Terry Lee Goffee will be recuperating from his recent surgery over the next few weeks, but will be ready for his show on April 2nd at the Palace Theater in Lorain. Goffee, will also bring his “Ultimate” Johnny Cash Tribute show to the Thirsty Cowboy in Medina on Friday, April 15th. Terry Lee thanked everyone for the well wishes for him to get well soon and get back to performing. You can listen to some of his music and check out the rest of his schedule at www.terryleegoffe.com
Mark Leach
Mark Leach will be releasing his new four-song EP, Homemade, next month. The singer will be celebrating the release with a Release Party at Thirsty Cowboy in Medina on Saturday, April 16th. Phillip Fox Band from Columbus will be opening the show. Tickets are $10 or $5 with EP purchase. Tickets are on sale now at www.thirstycowboy.com
Leach, was honored to have Matt McClure (Grammy nominated producer/Lee Brice) produce the EP. “I wrote with a bunch of writers in town – who have a combined total of over 45 #1 hits in country,” Leach stated through an internet conversation. Though he is not sure on the single yet, Homemade is available for pre-order at iTunes. Find out more about Mark Leach and his new EP at the singers website www.markleachmusic.com
Erica Dawn
Erica Dawn will be performing at The Bar (formerly Gone Country) in Akron on March 26th, along with special guest, recording artist, Noah Smith, who is coming up from Cincinnati to play the show. The singer has been keeping busy in the recording studio working on her new EP, Break of Dawn. The Akron native will celebrate the release of the EP at the Whiskey Ranch on Saturday, April 16th. The debut single, “Southbound & Determined” is available now on iTunes and Googleplay. Check out all the news on Erica Dawn and her new EP at her website www.ericadawncountry.com
Amanda Jones
We mentioned in the last installment of On The Homefront that Amanda Jones & The Family Band didn’t have many Cleveland area dates until summer, well one was just added. Amanda Jones and her band will be performing at the Hard Rock Rocksino in Northfield for the Rockin’ Country Nights at Club Velvet on Thursday, April 14th.
You can check her upcoming schedule, news and purchase the new CD, “The Road Less Traveled,” at their website at www.acjonesmusic.com
Kyle Thomas
Kyle Thomas performed in the Live Music Showcase on Sunday, March 13th at the House of Blues in Cleveland. The Live Music Showcase company is known for giving artists the opportunity to perform for label representatives all across the country. The showcase included over 20 artists, and Thomas was the only act representing country music. Thomas, backed by his band “Big Machine” (members: Dan Majnaric, Dennis Eggerton, Steve Faulkner, Sean Lotz, and Wes Porter) went on to captivate a largely urban crowd with a 20 minute performance! Immediately after, Universal’s Island Def Jam label representative Jim Kelley praised Thomas as the best performance he’s ever seen at a showcase stating “national act – hook, line, and sinker” and “you’re ready to be signed”. At the conclusion of the night Label rep Jim Kelley and host Versean Taylor announced that “there were 2-3 great bands tonight that were really talented, but one stood far above the rest. Kyle Thomas is the winner of tonight’s Live Music Showcase”.
Winning the Live Music Showcase gives Thomas many networking opportunities. Jim Kelley was very impressed with Thomas and his original music and will be contacting Kyle to schedule a meeting about his future. Thomas is set to release his new EP April 8th at Whiskey Ranch in Akron. For more on his music, check him out on social media @kylethomascounty
CCM
Cleveland Country Magazine (CCM) is happy to welcome new additions to our growing staff as we get ready for the re-launch of our monthly magazine in June. Rod Flauhaus has been added as our new Director of Development and Deborah Siebert will be our new Country Dance & Lifestyle Correspondent. Rod & Deb have been a part of the local country scene for years, and Cleveland Country Magazine is happy to have both of them join our new team. One former staffer who will also be returning is Steve Brown, who has been seen all over the theatre stages of Cleveland and is currently working in radio. Steve, will be back as one of our feature writers. His work in the past has been well received by our readers and country artists, alike, and his friendly and witty writing style always is something to look forward to in every issue of CCM. Look for our first print issue in June and many new and exciting things along the way!