Ohio Country Artist To Embark On 13-Date Fall Tour Playing Only At Independently-Promoted Independent Venues That Kicks Off Today
Tickets Now Available HERE
(November 3, 2026) - The National Independent Venue Association (NIVA) announces the second Live Independent Tour certification, featuring Cleveland honky tonk and Western swing artist Cory Grinder.
The 13-date tour will visit nine states across the South and Midwest, playing exclusively at independently-promoted shows at independent venues. NIVA developed the Live Independent Tour certification to recognize artists who independently promote the majority of their dates through Certified Live Independent venues. The program is part of NIVA's broader work to elevate and safeguard independent venues, promoters, and festivals.
The certification comes on the heels of Scared to Death, Grinder's new album with The Playboy Scouts, out today. It was recorded to one-inch tape at The Electric Co. in Akron, Ohio.
The tour is presented by One Night Live, the touring initiative of the Live Music Society and DTour that pairs emerging artists with small independent venues. It reflects Grinder's long-held place in those rooms, from busking and fiddle sideman work in Northeast Ohio to a decade of leading his own band on the road. This tour is also presented in partnership with Cleveland Rocks: Past, Present & Future.
The Live Independent Tour certification is one of several initiatives NIVA has developed to support independent live entertainment. Spanish Love Songs' 19-city tour, the first to earn the certification, opens tomorrow, November 4, at Songbyrd in Washington, D.C. Additional initiatives include amplifying independent events, monthly playlist features for certified tours, and the Live Independent seal, launched in partnership with Bandsintown. More than 55 million fans have discovered shows and purchased tickets at independent venues and festivals through Bandsintown's Live Independent promotion.
"Independent venues continue to do the hard work of developing artists in markets of every size, and Cory Grinder built a career on those stages," says Stephen Parker, NIVA Executive Director. "This tour shows what our mission looks like in practice: an artist choosing independent rooms from Nashville to New Orleans to Cleveland. Together with partners like Live Music Society, DTour and Cleveland Rocks, the goal is to build and strengthen an independent live ecosystem for artists and fans. We invite every artist to join this movement and choose independent promoters and independent venues."
"We are so excited to be able to show off our new record in towns throughout the Southeast - in some familiar areas and some new ones!” says Cory Grinder. “Touring is a special opportunity for independent artists that requires a combination of hard work from the artist's team, plus belief and support from the venues who care about independent music. Reaching audiences requires team effort, and that’s why initiatives like One Night Live are so important. I feel so fortunate to be working with Cleveland Rocks: PPF, D-Tour, Live Music Society and Fan Alliance, who have made it possible for us to get out on the road and reach these people!"
“D-Tour is thrilled for Cory and his band to hit the road in support of his new album Scared To Death. Independent artists and the venues that host them are crucial to the State of Live. It is in these small locally owned rooms where artists perfect their craft so they can be the future stars of tomorrow that play the stadiums and arenas. A big thank you to Live Music Society, Cleveland Rocks, Fan Alliance, and of course Cory Grinder himself for taking the stage for One Night Live,” says Tom DeGeorge D-Tour COO.
Cory Grinder's One Night Live Fall Tour kicks off tonight at Eastside Bowl in Nashville, Tenn. and wraps November 22 at Beachland Ballroom in Cleveland, Ohio. The tour supports Scared to Death, Grinder's new album with The Playboy Scouts, also out today.
CORY GRINDER - ONE NIGHT LIVE TOUR DATES CERTIFIED LIVE INDEPENDENT VENUES
Nov. 3 - Nashville, TN - Eastside Bowl**
Nov. 4 - Chattanooga, TN - Cherry Street Tavern
Nov. 5 - Greenville, SC - Doc's Tavern
Nov. 7 - Salisbury, NC - The Fish Bowl
Nov. 8 - Asheville, NC - One World Brewing West
Nov. 9 - Atlanta, GA - The Masquerade (Altar)**
Nov. 10 - Athens, GA - Athentic Brewing Company
Nov. 11 - Jackson, MS - Duling Hall**
Nov. 12 - New Orleans, LA - The Howlin' Wolf**
Nov. 18 - Newport, KY - The Southgate House**
Nov. 19 - Columbus, OH - Natalie's Grandview
Nov. 20 - Buffalo, NY - 42 North Brewery
Nov. 22 - Cleveland, OH - Beachland Ballroom**
For more information on the tour, visit onenightlivetour.com. Follow Cory Grinder and the Playboy Scouts: Website / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Bandcamp.
ABOUT NIVA
The National Independent Venue Association (NIVA) is the nation’s live entertainment association, representing independent venues, festivals, promoters, and presenters across the United States. NIVA works to preserve and nurture the ecosystem of independent stages. NIVA empowers members and their teams with member benefits, advocacy on the state, local, and federal levels, an annual industry-leading conference, and more.
NIVA led the Save Our Stages campaign, culminating in landmark legislation in 2020 that established the $16.25 billion Shuttered Venue Operators Grant program, the largest arts investment in U.S. history.
NIVA is committed to equity in its support of independent stages. It seeks to create and encourage opportunities for venues, promoters, and festivals owned, operated, and staffed by people of color, women, non-binary, LGBTQ+, veterans, and people with disabilities.
ABOUT CORY GRINDER
Cory Grinder is a fixture of the Cleveland-Akron music scene. He started out as a fiddle-playing sideman and busker before stepping forward as a songwriter, frontman, and bandleader. With his band The Playboy Scouts, Grinder plays honky tonk, Western swing, and country with a growing rock and roll edge, citing Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen as an influence. He has toured the country for the better part of a decade. His new album, Scared to Death, was recorded to one-inch tape at The Electric Co. in Akron, Ohio and is out November 3, 2026.
ABOUT ONE NIGHT LIVE / LIVE MUSIC SOCIETY
One Night Live is a touring initiative of Live Music Society, a nonprofit that supports small venues and listening rooms across the U.S. Launched in spring 2025, the program pairs emerging artists with small independent venues, with a shared door split and a Live Music Society stipend on every date to offset marketing and production costs. Cory Grinder's run is the program's sixth tour; since launch, One Night Live has played 64 dates at 57 independent venues in 49 cities. Since 2020, Live Music Society has distributed $5.9 million in grants to 250 venues. For more information, visit livemusicsociety.org and https://www.onenightlivetour.com/.
CONTACT NIVA
Lucky Break PR
Kris Ferraro, Kris@luckybreakpr.com
Mike Stommel, Mike@luckybreakpr.com
CONTACT LIVE MUSIC SOCIETY
Shore Fire Media
Chris Taillie, ctaillie@shorefire.com
Casey Hansen, chansen@shorefire.com
CONTACT CORY GRINDER
corygrinderband@gmail.com
330-931-9917
https://www.facebook.com/playboyscouts
https://www.instagram.com/playboyscouts/
