Success Stories

2022-2023 Incubator Success Stories

Cory Grinder and the Playboy Scouts

Cory Grinder of Cory Grinder and the Playboy Scouts, a Cleveland-based honky-tonk band. The band formed in 2016 and play original hillbilly tunes inspired by Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard. The band used funds to support their touring efforts and were able to schedule six additional dates with the incubator’s support. This allowed Cory to sell more tickets, sell more merchandise, pay his musicians a better wage, and play in two new markets. The band was also featured on Applause! on Ideastream Public Media.

Joseph Wolfe

Joseph Wolfe, aka J. Wolfe, a 27-year-old singer/ songwriter from Cleveland. J. Wolfe has a voice reminiscent of Marc Bolan mixed with atmospherics like Mac Demarco and a refined vintage garage energy. J. Wolfe used funds to finish an album. He started recording before the pandemic put the process on hold. Since joining the incubator, J. Wolfe has been able to not only finish recording his album, but also release two new singles (Headshrinker Grey and Something Good), and re-release an earlier, out-of-print album on cassette (Because It’s Over). He was also the featured artist at the Cleveland Music Industry Conversations event at the Rock Hall.

Tuck Mindrum

Tuck Mindrum is a recording and mixing engineer. Tuck is recording bands and solo artists in Cleveland, Akron, and recently New Orleans. He came to the incubator program with a desire to expand his recording setup by adding several new microphone preamps. To save money and make his loan go farther, he bought kits of parts to build the microphone preamps himself. While working with the incubator program, he started a new YouTube channel, the One Take Series, featuring a singer/ songwriter or band recorded in a visual art space (studio/gallery/ workshop) with one microphone and one camera in one take.

Blackout Rose (formerly DLHR)

Lovest Watson (bass) and Davidione Pearl (vocals) are the songwriters and founding members of the alternative-rock band Blackout Rose (formerly known as DLHR). Blackout Rose is a jazzy mix of Middle East Afro-funk, Latin, reggae, French cafe, Americana, rock, soul and gospel. The band members used their loan funds to record a new single, produce a music video, and to make t-shirts and other band merch. Through the incubator, the band was able to produce one of their multi-band events, called “Revivals,” in the Beachland Ballroom with a livestream, and they got a booking at the Rock Hall for the summer concert series. Davidione Pearl was also booked as a solo performer with his side-project, Davidione Pearl Saxx ‘n Traxx, at the Cleveland Music Industry Conversations event at the Bop Stop. 

Javier Davis (1800-SOS)

Javier Davis, aka 1800-SOS, is an artist, producer, dj, musician, and recording engineer. Writing and producing pop, hip hop, house, and other electronica, Javier weaves between projects and genres, always adding fresh styles and an exciting vibe. Javier came to the incubator group looking to upgrade his professional profile and seeking to connect with new venues and promoters. He used his loan funds to work on logo design, branding, web design, and new dj equipment. Javier was booked to perform at the DLHR “Revival” event at the Beachland and has been hired to do sound mixing at Beachland concerts through connections he made in the incubator program. 

Brit Fox

Brit Fox of Brit Fox Studios proposed creating a physical map for sale that highlights specific locations of music creation, venues, etc. throughout Cleveland, Ohio.  We would use the funds to gather research, create and market the map to locals, visitors and music lovers.  This effort is designed to bring further awareness to the music scene of Cleveland, Ohio and encourage community engagement. By creating a vivid, up-to-date souvenir of local music spots we hope to fill the gap in keeping the city of Cleveland top of mind when describing “the best music cities”.  Additionally, bridge the gap between rock genres such as pop, blues, r&b and more music publicly with a diverse, interactive and music-centric map for locals and tourists of Cleveland. We plan to sell the music map online and by partnering with local venues.

Pin It on Pinterest

Share This