Akron musician Brett Auerbach once drove 15 hours for a 30-minute gig that paid about $100.
鈥淚t wasn't like a good financial decision, but it was ultimately like the best decision I've made, arguably, in my life,鈥� Auerbach said.
That leap of faith would help launch his band, Rye Valley, onto three national tours and into listening rooms across 28 states. Rye Valley has also dropped two albums since then.
Auerbach is not related to Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys, though he gets asked constantly, despite the shared last name and hometown.
He tends to make a joke of it, telling people he鈥檚 Dan鈥檚 dad.
Still, their stories begin in similar places: Akron bars, open mics and small stages where original songs either sink or swim.
In high school, Auerbach realized he was a strong writer.
That confidence translated to music when he picked up a guitar, taught himself to play without lessons, and began writing songs.
鈥淚'm not like a spiritual person, but I feel like in that moment I felt that opportunity coming."Brett Auerbach
Eventually, he brought those original tunes to an open mic night.
鈥淭he first time I played that open mic, someone just walked by and like threw a $5 bill right on the ground,鈥� Auerbach said. 鈥淚 was like, 鈥楬uh.鈥欌��
That same night, he met fellow Akron-area musician Landon Kearns, who had a knack for playing cover songs.
Together, they realized they could split a three-hour bar set, filling the night with a mix of familiarity and fresh material.
鈥淲e got invited to play at this place, threw that open mic, our calendar eventually filled up and we were like, 鈥榃e should probably name this or something,鈥欌�� Auerbach said.
They called the project Rye Valley, which paid homage to the Cuyahoga Valley and a sound shaped by rustbelt landscapes and working-class storytelling.
Heading south to start a new chapter
Not long after, life pulled Auerbach south.
He accepted a field-service job that took him across Mississippi, Tennessee and Louisiana.
He spent his days on the road for work and his nights absorbing a different musical culture.
鈥淚 like really latched on to the sounds of New Orleans and country music,鈥� he said. "With blues, all of the soul is in the guitar. But with country music, it's in the vocals,鈥� he said.
He said the soulful vocals he heard on the road, traveling through the southern states, inspired him.
He ended up writing an entire album during that time, renting a house with sparse furnishings where he could focus on creating music.
鈥淢y living room was just set up as, like, rehearsal space. I just felt really inspired to write,鈥� he said.
That album became Rye Valley鈥檚 first full-length record, 鈥�,鈥� in 2024.
While still living in Mississippi, he got an offer to open for the nationally touring alt-country band, Clem Snide, at the Beachland Ballroom in Cleveland.
He made the trip north for a single 30-minute set, and then he drove straight back.
Playing that show opened a door. About a year later, after moving back to Ohio, he got his answer.
鈥淎fter about like a year of doing that job, I eventually had some sort of pulling to come back here,鈥� Auerbach said. 鈥淚 was just trying to think, like, what's next? What do I want to do?鈥�
After much reflection, he got a message from his pedal steel player, Tyler Lobdell, informing him that Clem Snide invited the band on an upcoming tour.
鈥淚'm not like a spiritual person, but I feel like in that moment I felt that opportunity coming,鈥� Auerbach said.
Three national tours opening for Clem Snide followed for the three-piece .
Touring the country
They traveled through 28 states as a trio.
鈥淚t was me, Tyler and Landon. We did the bulk of our tour in a Subaru Forester, so close quarters,鈥� Auerbach said.
The band was used to playing for loud, rowdy bar crowds, but Clem Snide鈥檚 audiences offered a more intimate 鈥渓istening room鈥� experience.
鈥淵ou could just hear a pin drop,鈥� he said. We actually had to change some of our songs, because we were so used to 鈥� trying to get our music to, like, cut through.鈥�
They began adjusting their sound to fit the room and listener base.
鈥淚t was the first time we'd ever played as a unit, like back-to-back every night,鈥� Auerbach said. 鈥淏y the third night, we were just locked in.鈥�
He rushed to finish a second album, 鈥淐onsonants,鈥� so Rye Valley would have something physical to sell to Clem Snide鈥檚 fanbase.
鈥淚t was awesome, because I was so inspired to write that I had released a whole other album,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hese people buy merch, which is primarily how we made all of our money.鈥�
One song, 鈥淣ASCAR Dads,鈥� became an unexpected crowd barometer with its playful lyrics and vivid storytelling.
鈥淭he feedback for that song was like something I'd never experienced before,鈥� Auerbach said.
Passing the torch
After two albums in roughly a year and three national tours, Auerbach brought something home from the road.
He now hosts a songwriter鈥檚 night at Dunlap鈥檚 Corner Bar in Cleveland on the first Thursday of every month.
It features five artists, 30-minute sets and a firmly enforced listening room environment.
鈥淭he intention of this is to let songwriters stretch their legs in that kind of environment, because it's different, which is something that I learned while touring and never had that experience before,鈥� he said.
He said his favorite part of the monthly open mic night is discovering new artists.
鈥淭here's so many good artists, it's crazy,鈥� he said. 鈥淚'm just trying to provide a space for that.鈥�
The same instinct that once pushed him to drive 15 hours for a half an hour onstage now fuels something closer to home: Creating opportunities for other songwriters to be heard.
This time the leap of faith belongs to the next artist stepping up to the mic.
The next songwriter鈥檚 night is March 5 at 8 p.m., featuring performances by Katy Robinson, Mike Mesteller, David Novak and more.
Rye Valley will perform at the Rialto Theatre on March 12 at 7 p.m.
