I read a lot of musician biographies and memoirs. It’s nice to learn something about the subjects’ lives and how those lives influenced their creative endeavors. It usually gives me a greater appreciation for their music, even if most of them follow a similar arc, kind of like an episode ...

The success of the single “Rise Up” indicates smooth jazz fans will find Darryl Alexander’s new album worth the wait. The Youngstown native, who now lives in Boardman, has been getting airplay on terrestrial and internet radio stations with “Rise Up.” It peaked at #9 on ...

The Cleveland Museum of Art will celebrate its 110th anniversary with exhibitions featuring 20th century American master Andrew Wyeth and 19th century French impressionists. Opening Sept. 20, “Spectacular Freedom: Andrew Wyeth and the Modern American Watercolor“ will feature more than 100 ...

Two Cleveland fiction writers will be the featured authors for Lit Youngstown’s First Wednesday Reader Series. Nicole D. Miller is a self-published author and the host of the “Girl Talk” podcast. She owns ND Miller Publishing, where she specializes in assisting debut authors with ...

The Friendly Squares Dance Club will start a new session of weekly square dance lessons next week. The introductory session will be from 7 to 9 p.m. Tuesday at Niles SCOPE Center, 14 E. State St. There is a $6 per person lesson fee. To sign up or for additional information, call Gene ...

YOUNGSTOWN — Auditions are scheduled from 5 to 8 p.m Jan. 15 and 1 to 5 p.m. Jan. 17 for the play “Silent Sky” at Hopewell Theatre, 702 Mahoning Ave., Youngstown. Lauren Gunderson’s play is based on the true story of 19th-century astronomer Henrietta Leavitt and explores a woman’s ...