Backline Cleveland, a gener8tor program made possible by the City of Cleveland and The Finch Group, launched in June to grant local musicians the chance to elevate their careers. The 12-week accelerator offers coaching opportunities with industry professionals, as well as the chance to connect and collaborate with other artists.

Mourning [A] BLKstar is a diverse collective of Cleveland-based artists with layered identities. Its members aim to blur the lines of gender and genre while expressing their individual realities through music.

Across the state of Ohio, local music venues are struggling as the coronavirus pandemic has forced these entertainment hotspots to keep operations at a standstill. Local musicians who rely on live performances to earn a steady income have suffered with planned concerts canceled or postponed indefinitely.

On what would have been the 12th annual celebration of Record Store Day on April 18, local music shops remained dark, empty and closed. The event is an annual celebration of independently owned record stores and brings crowds of music fans to these local businesses to buy exclusive or new music releases.

With widespread social distancing measures in place due to the COVID-19 outbreak, classical music performances have shifted from concert halls to virtual platforms. Piano Cleveland , a local organization that supports performing artists through education, competitions and outreach programming, has launched The Quarantine Concerts .

With the recent closure of bars, restaurants and venues that serve more than 10 patrons, the local music scene is facing challenges. Scheduled concerts, festivals, album release shows and other events have been canceled or postponed to a later, unspecified date. Musicians and artists who rely on touring or otherwise playing out for income or exposure are faced with a new reality with the local community being unable to congregate in the presence of live music. Weekend plans and evening

World-renowned Vietnamese musician Phong Nguyen has dedicated his life to studying Buddhist music. He can play more than 20 instruments and has done extensive research on chants that he's performed in concert all over the world. Back home in Stow after studying abroad for the past few years, Nguyen is putting on a rare concert at Standing Rock Cultural Arts in Kent on March 14, and is reflecting on the 50th anniversary of the May 4 shootings at Kent State University.

Indie-rockers Coby and The Prisoners latest album is showing off the band’s talent at producing homegrown recordings that are polished and radio ready. WKSU contributor Brittany Nader talked with frontman Coby Hartzler about the band’s sound and his roots in the Dover/New Philadelphia area.

Cleveland hip-hop artist and mental health advocate Archie Green is taking his message to new audiences. His project, My Violin Weighs A Ton, aims to bridge the gap between the inner city and classical music.

Five Mansfield siblings are blending each of their musical styles to create their own brand of electronic, jazz and hip hop. The Trio says its latest album, Two , is a true reflection of how the family band has evolved to create a unique, unified sound.