Sy Smith Is Doing an In-Store Set at The Vinyl Groove and You Need to Be There
One of the most celebrated voices in independent soul music is walking into a record store in Old Brooklyn on a Saturday afternoon. No ticket. No barrier. Just Sy Smith, acoustic, in a room small enough to reverberate.
On Saturday, March 28th at 4:00 PM, she plays The Vinyl Groove Records. The night before she plays Toledo. The night after she plays Columbus. Cleveland gets the in-store.
If that doesn't make you want to show up, keep reading.
Who Is Sy Smith?
Sy Smith is a five-octave vocalist, Emmy-nominated songwriter and recording artist who has spent three decades at the absolute center of R&B and soul. She backed Whitney Houston on tour in the late '90s. She's the voice behind Grammy-winning trumpeter Chris Botti's most celebrated live performances — including a run at the Blue Note in New York that set records for consecutive ticket sales. Her song "Fly Away With Me" charted on the Top 40 Hot Adult R&B chart as an independent release, which almost never happens.
HuffPost called her "one of the most versatile and compelling vocal artists anywhere around." She's performed at Carnegie Hall. She played The Tonight Show. She blew the roof off the Kennedy Center's Concert Hall. A DC Metro Theatre Arts critic said so.
Her latest album, Until We Meet Again (2024, produced by Zo! and Tall Black Guy, executive produced by Phonte Coleman), has critics reaching for references like Minnie Riperton and Deniece Williams. Music journalist Mark Chappelle wrote that her voice "levitates until it breaks — as if just the right frequency could resurrect a loved one." Read that twice.
Why Is This a Big Deal?
Because Sy Smith plays rooms that can hold her. Jazz clubs, concert halls, theaters — venues where people dress up and pay in advance and count themselves lucky to get a seat. The Masterclass Tour dates in Toledo and Columbus are exactly that kind of show.
The Vinyl Groove set is something else entirely. Acoustic, in a record store, in a neighborhood. No stage separation. No ticketing queue. Just an artist who has performed at Carnegie Hall standing close enough that you can hear her breathe between notes.
That kind of access to that level of artistry doesn't come around often. When it does, the people who showed up always know they made the right call.
What to Expect
Acoustic means stripped down. No full production. Just Sy Smith and her voice in a space where you'll be close enough to feel it. For an artist with a five-octave range and a catalog that spans over two decades, that kind of intimacy will seep through your bones.
She'll be performing music from across her catalog, including material from Until We Meet Again. She's know for live performances that feel less like a show and more like she's letting you in on something.
Space is limited. This is a record store, not a concert hall. First in, best positioned.
The Details
Sy Smith In-Store Acoustic Set Saturday, March 28, 2026 | 4:00 PM The Vinyl Groove Records 5100 Pearl Rd Suite 208, Cleveland, OH 44129
Free to attend. No ticket required.
FAQ
Who is Sy Smith? Sy Smith is an R&B vocalist, Emmy-nominated songwriter and independent recording artist. She's worked with Whitney Houston, Chris Botti, The Foreign Exchange and Sheila E., and has released six studio albums on her own label. Her 2024 album Until We Meet Again is one of the most critically praised indie soul releases in recent years.
Is this part of the Masterclass Tour? No. The Masterclass Tour stops in Toledo and Columbus are ticketed shows. The Vinyl Groove appearance is a standalone free in-store acoustic set — a separate, no-ticket event happening between those two tour dates.
Do I need a ticket? No ticket required. The event is free and open to anyone who shows up. Space is limited by the nature of the venue, so arrive early.
Where is The Vinyl Groove Records? 5100 Pearl Rd Suite 208, Cleveland, OH 44129 in the Old Brooklyn neighborhood. Free parking is available nearby.
What else is happening at The Vinyl Groove in 2026? We've got guest appearances and special events throughout the year. Check our events page for the full calendar.