Eric Gales
Eric Gales is a blues firebrand. Over 30 years and 18 albums, his passion for the music and his boundless desire to keep it vital has never waned, even when his own light dimmed due to his substance struggles. Throughout it all, he continued to reinvigorate the art form with personal revelation in his lyrics and bold stylistic twists in his guitar playing and songwriting. Five years sober, creatively rejuvenated, and sagely insightful, Eric is ready for the fight of his career. Aptly, he calls his masterful new album, out January 2022 on Provogue/Mascot label Group, Crown. Here, Eric opens like never before, sharing his struggles with substance abuse, his hopes about a new era of sobriety and unbridled creativity, and his personal reflections on racism. The songs are delivered with clarity and feature Eric’s personal experiences and hope for positive change. In addition, the 16-track collection boasts his finest singing, songwriting, and his signature guitar playing that burns throughout. Produced by Joe Bonamassa and Josh Smith, this is Eric at his most boldly vulnerable, uncompromisingly political, and unflinchingly confident.
The English Beat..
The English Beat is a band with an energetic mix of musical styles and a sound like no other. The band’s unique sound has allowed it to endure for nearly four decades and appeal to fans, young and old, all over the world. When The English Beat (known as The Beat in their native England) rushed on to the music scene in 1979, it was a time of massive social and political unrest and economic and musical upheaval. This set the stage for a period of unbridled musical creativity, and thanks in large part to the Punk movement and it’s DIY approach to making music, artists like The Beat were able to speak out and speak their mind on the news of the day, as in “Stand Down Margaret”, things that mattered to them and the youth culture, as in “Get A Job”, and universal matters of the heart and soul, as in their classic hits “I Confess” and “Save It For Later”. The Beat first came to prominence as founding members of the British Two Tone Ska movement, with their classic first album “Just Can’t Stop It” fitting squarely in that genre. Along with their contemporaries The Specials, The Selecter, and Madness, the band became an overnight sensation and one of the most popular and influential bands of that movement. However, band leader Dave Wakeling never felt constrained by the movement. The band crossed over fluidly between soul, reggae, pop and punk, and from these disparate pieces they created an infectious dance rhythm. The band’s sound continued to evolve over their three studio albums, through the General Public era (a band formed by Dave with The Beat’s toaster, Ranking Roger), and it has continued its evolution with the forthcoming English Beat album “Here We Go Love”, a PledgeMusic crowd-funded album set for a 2016 release, the band’s first new album since 1982’s “Special Beat Service”. Consummate showman that he is, Dave Wakeling continues to keep The Beat alive and strong, touring the world as The English Beat with an amazing all-star ska backing band playing all the hits of The Beat, General Public, and songs from his new album “Here We Go Love”. You just can’t stop The English Beat!
Harvest – Ultimate Neil Young Tribute
Harvest celebrates the timeless songwriting, electric jams and acoustic artistry of classic-era Neil Young. The band performs 2 long sets of classic Neil Young, from the dynamic vocal harmony and harmonica-driven acoustic stunners to the sizzling extended electric jams & stompers – covering Neil’s career from Buffalo Springfield, CSNY, solo and with Crazy Horse, thru to Harvest Moon.Since 1987, founders Jim Tigue & Eroc Sosinski have been performing Neil Young music for fans all across the Midwest, in the bands Harvest and Tie-Dye Harvest and as the Jim & Eroc Duo, and formed the popular Pink Floyd tribute Wish You Were Here. Members Peter Telari (also of WYWH), Keith Chelm & Tim Hamman are also veteran NEOhio musicians.For 3 years in a row since 2022, Jim & Eroc have been chosen to perform as part of the official May 4th Commemoration Ceremony at Kent State University. In 2022 Harvest also performed as part of the Kent State Music Festival, an on-campus Commemoration Week event leading up to May 4th ceremony. The band is honored to be commemorating the Neil Young/CSNY/“Ohio” connection at the venerable Kent Stage this coming May 4th weekend. .
The Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band
Known as “one of the greatest porch bands in the world”, they are led by Reverend Peyton, who in his own right, may be the world’s premiere finger picking style player. Determined to be a source for that rootsy, country blues style that captured his imagination as a kid, Rev. Peyton and his band took to Mississippi to train under the likes of T-Model Ford, Robert Belfour, and David “Honeyboy” Edwards. That training has shown to have succeeded with their last record Dance Songs for Hard Times found itself at #1 on the Billboard, Itunes, and Sirius XM Blues charts. The record produced by GRAMMY winner Vance Powell, was critically acclaimed by Rolling Stone, Relix, Popmatters, Guitar World, American Songwriter, No Depression, Glide, Wide Open Country, Paste, American Blues Scene and many more! Their new record “Honeysuckle” is a collaboration between Peyton and Powell. With Peyton recording and producing the record, while Powell had his hand in mixing it. The record features many special guests, including gospel music group The McCrary Sisters on the song “Manger,” Blues Music Hall of Famer and Grammy-nominated harmonica player Billy Branch who plays on the Blind Lemon Jefferson song “Nell (Prison Cell Blues),” Grammy award-winning and IBMA’s 10-time Fiddle Player of the Year Michael Cleveland plays on “Freeborn Man” and Colton Crawford from The Dead South plays banjo on “The Good Die Young.”
Sam Grisman Project
Sam Grisman is a bass player, music appreciator, and bandleader who grew up in Mill Valley, California in a home where some of the great acoustic music of our time was being recorded on a regular basis. His father, legendary mandolinist, composer, and producer, David Grisman, was constantly having friends come over to his home studio for recording sessions and rehearsals. These friends, such as Doc Watson, Jerry Garcia, John Hartford, Mike Seeger, and Tony Rice all left an impression on the younger Grisman and inspired him to pursue a life making music with his many talented friends. Sam Grisman Project was created to shed light on the music that Sam grew up around, and highlight that music’s influence on the members of the collective and in the greater music community. The band’s shows create a safe space where the band and audience can bask in the shared love and reverence for the great music and musicians who continue to inspire us all. The friends who make up Sam Grisman Project are a rotating cadre of acousticians who are some of the brightest individual voices on their respective instruments. Members of this rotating cast of instrumental wizards include guitarists Max Flansburg, Logan Ledger, Sam Leslie, Henry Moser, Jesse Harper, and Jefferson Hamer, mandolinists Dominick Leslie, Joe K. Walsh, Matt Flinner, and Jesse Appelman, clawhammer banjo maestro Victor Furtado, fiddlers John Mailander, Alex Hargreaves, Nate Leath, Shad Cobb, and Phoebe Hunt, cellist Nat Smith, and Todd Livingston on the Dobro. The band also frequently collaborates with legendary singer, songwriter, and bluegrass pioneer Peter Rowan, a deeply meaningful connection for Sam and the band tying directly back to his father David Grisman and the Old and In the Way legacy. Over the years Sam Grisman Project has been joined by a wide range of spontaneous and exciting guests including David Grisman, John Sebastian, Tim O’Brien, Billy Strings, Maria Muldaur, Margo Price, and many more. This ever evolving collective of exceptional humans who happen to be incredible musicians is a testament to the abundance of joy, and wealth of experiences that growing up around this timeless music has brought into the younger Grisman’s life. Sam Grisman Project is committed to putting their love, gratitude, and individuality into the music that they share on stage each night, and to participating in the community effort of preserving, expanding, and appreciating great American acoustic music. To preserve the sonic integrity of their instruments and voices, SGP plays acoustic music into condenser microphones. The sound on stage is fully acoustic and sensitive, so we kindly ask that you save conversations for before and after the show or during the set break. Thanks for coming and thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the music.
Sister Sadie
Sister Sadie brings their All Will Be Well Tour To The Kent Stage February 20th, 2026 The Kent Stage is excited to welcome Sister Sadie for a stop along their All Will Be Well Tour in early 2026. The show is set to take place on Friday, February 20th at 7:30 P.M. Titled after their latest album, All Will Be Well, the show is all about Sister Sadie telling their truth – loud, fearless, and free. Expect the typical remnants of bluegrass, but with a much more raw and captivating country Americana feel with gospel grit and storytelling. Formed just over a decade ago at a Nashville Station Inn’s jam session in 2012, Sister Sadie has quickly risen to be one of the top groups in bluegrass, and don’t you dare label them all-female. It has never been about that label for Sister Sadie, it’s about the music, and in their case, that speaks for itself. The accolades have piled up for Sister Sadie, with 4 studio albums already, 2 Grammy nominations, and multiple IBMA wins. On top of becoming a Grand Ole Opry starring force, the band earned IBMA Vocal Group of The Year 3 years in a row from 2019-2021, while also taking home 2020’s IBMA Entertainer of The Year award. Sister Sadie’s Links: Website: https://www.sistersadieband.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sistersadieband Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sistersadiemusic/?hl=en Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWukLKbou-V4x0IXXhIPAWA TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sistersadiemusic X: https://twitter.com/sistersadieband?lang=mr
Joanne Shaw Taylor
The Kent Stage announces a performance with one of the most coveted blues-rock guitarists Joanne Shaw Taylor for March 20, 2026. The show is set for Friday, March 20th, 2026 at 7:30 P.M.. Joanne promises the show will deliver a dynamic powerhouse performance, as she will feature songs from her latest studio album Black & Gold.Discovered at the age of 16 by Dave Stewart of the Eurythmics, Joanne’s remarkable guitar playing excited Stewart, as he immediately invited her to join supergroup D.U.P., marking the beginning of her musical career’s journey. Her prodigious talent began to amass Taylor accolades and recognition from industry giants such as Jimmy Cliff, Joe Bonamassa, Stevie Wonder, and Annie Lennox. After several years in the industry, Taylor released her first solo album White Sugar in 2009. In just over 15 years since, she has released 10 more studio albums, each seemingly more successful than the last. All of which are critically acclaimed. Finally, in 2019 Taylor was able to crack the UK Top 20 charts with Reckless Heart, solidifying herself as one of the most important British Blues-Rock imports. Standing on that success, she would now team up for a significant collaboration with Joe Bonamassa and Josh Smith for the Blues Album, which debuted at Number 1 on the Billboard Blues Charts. This was pivotal for Taylor as it now encased her as a leading figure in the blues industry. Renowned for her electrifying guitar performances and soulful songwriting, Joanne’s vocals shine as she blends blues, rock, soul, and pop. The show also includes standout tracks from earlier albums and heartfelt tributes to classic blues legends. As one of today’s most dynamic performers, Joanne Shaw Taylor promises an unforgettable night of music.
Donna The Buffalo
Donna The Buffalo is not just a band, rather one might say that Donna The Buffalo has become a lifestyle for its members and audiences. Since 1989, the roots rockers have played thousands of shows and countless festivals including Bonnaroo, Newport Folk Festival, Telluride, Austin City Limits Festival, Merle Fest, and Philadelphia Folk Festival.They’ve opened for The Dead and have toured with the likes of Peter Rowan, Del McCoury, Los Lobos, Little Feat, Jim Lauderdale, Rusted Root, and Railroad Earth to name a few. They also toured with Ben & Jerry’s co-founder Ben Cohen to help raise awareness about increased corporate spending in politics.In 1991, the band started the Finger Lakes Grassroots Festival in Trumansburg, NY. The four day festival has become an annual destination for over 15,000 music lovers every year and was started as an AIDS benefit. It continues as a benefit for arts and education. To date, the event has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars and is now one of three Grassroots Festivals; the Bi-annual Shakori Hills Fest in North Carolina and Virginia Key Festival in Florida. In 2016 GrassRoots Culture Camp was introduced in Trumansburg, New York as four days of music, art, dance and movement workshops, including nightly dinners and dances.
Woodchoppers Ball – 2025
The Kent Stage is pleased to once again host Brian Henke’s Woodchopper’s Ball. The 24th Annual installment of the benefit for the Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless is set to take place on Saturday, November 1st at 7 P.M.. Every year Brian Henke collects his all-star cast of characters that are among the very best on Earth in the genre. Consisting of veterans in the industry, as well as some up and comers, you’ll often see some familiar faces year after year. This year’s event will feature 9 performances across a vast array of musical styles that promises to make the night a star-studded event 2025 Lineup Brian Henke Michael Kelsey Tim and Myles Thompson Mark Sganga Patrick Woods Jesse Smith Kelly Zullo Red Door (Helen Avakian & Dave Irwin) Alberto Lombardi (Coming from Italy!) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Woodchopper’s Ball Performer’s Links: Brian Henke: https://www.facebook.com/brian.g.henke/ Michael Kelsey: https://michaelkelsey.com/ Tim and Myles Thompson: https://timandmylesthompson.com/ Mark Sganga: https://www.marksganga.com/ Patrick Woods: https://pwguitar.com/ Jesse Smith: https://www.facebook.com/jessesmithguitars/ Kelly Zullo: https://www.kellyzullo.com/ Alberto Lombardi: www.albertolombardi.com Red Door: https://reddoorduo.com/
Preservation Hall Jazz Band – Creole Christmas
Preservation Hall Jazz Band – Creole Christmas Celebrate the season as the Preservation Hall Jazz Band returns with A Creole Christmas concert, Join us as the band performs New Orleans classics as well as some of our best-loved holiday selections – with at twist! At a moment when musical streams are crossing with unprecedented frequency, it’s crucial to remember that throughout its history, New Orleans has been the point at which sounds and cultures from around the world converge, mingle, and resurface, transformed by the Crescent City’s inimitable spirit and joie de vivre. Nowhere is that idea more vividly embodied than in the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, which has held the torch of New Orleans music aloft for more than 50 years, all the while carrying it enthusiastically forward as a reminder that the history they were founded to preserve is a vibrantly living history. Preservation Hall Jazz Band At a moment when musical streams are crossing with unprecedented frequency, it’s crucial to remember that throughout its history, New Orleans has been the point at which sounds and cultures from around the world converge, mingle, and resurface, transformed by the Crescent City’s inimitable spirit and joie de vivre. Nowhere is that idea more vividly embodied than in the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, which has held the torch of New Orleans music aloft for more than 60 years, all the while carrying it enthusiastically forward as a reminder that the history they were founded to preserve is a vibrantly living history. PHJB marches that tradition forward once again on So It Is. The album redefines what New Orleans music means today by tapping into a sonic continuum that stretches back to the city’s Afro-Cuban roots, through its common ancestry with the Afrobeat of Fela Kuti and the Fire Music of Pharoah Sanders and John Coltrane, and forward to cutting-edge artists with whom the PHJB have shared festival stages from Coachella to Newport, including legends like Stevie Wonder, Elvis Costello and the Grateful Dead and modern giants like Beck, The Foo Fighters, My Morning Jacket, and the Black Keys. BEN JAFFE – Bass (upright), Tuba, Percussion CHARLIE GABRIEL – Saxophone (tenor), Clarinet CLINT MAEDGEN – Saxophone (tenor), Percussion RONELL JOHNSON – Trombone WALTER HARRIS – Drums, Percussion KYLE ROUSSEL – Piano, Wurlitzer, Organ BRANDEN LEWIS – Trumpet