The night before Appleton’s Mile of Music festival has always provided a fun opportunity to showcase musicians on their way up to the Fox Valley for the weekend. July 29th will be particularly exciting as Tosa Tonight will welcome talented and renowned singer/songwriters out of Nashville, Tennessee: Will Hoge with special guest Claire Kelly.

This special night of music will be presented by the brewery down the street that produces a few American light lager brands that you may have heard of: Miller Lite and Coors Light (both MolsonCoors brands). Enjoyed responsibly, these lagers have been reported to pair well with live music at Hart Park’s Rotary Performance Pavilion.

Thank you Miller Lite and Coors Light for your support of our series.

Kicking off the night will be a personal favorite of this author. Singer, songwriter and self-proclaimed optimist Claire Kelly has been on a mission to brighten every corner she steps in with the music she creates and Nashville is taking notice. In the last nine years of living in Music City, she’s garnered major songwriting contest accolades (American Songwriter, NSAI, Bluebird Cafe), primetime television/film placements (ABC Network, Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, Hallmark TV), and several international tours.

When not touring, she writes with other artists in Nashville, performs regularly on Music City and teaches songwriting workshops at The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum.  Her next recording project is currently underway with Grammy Award Winning Producer, Brandon Bell, set to release this Summer.

We can’t wait to finally have Claire perform at Tosa Tonight. She’s been on our list for a long while and this Summer we were finally able to make it happen as she heads north — though Wauwatosa — on her way up to Appleton for the weekend.

Claire alone would make for a great evening at Hart Park, but we’re doubling down and bringing Wauwatosa acclaimed country singer-songwriter Will Hoge.

Will Hoge is a Nashville-based singer-songwriter known for blending country, rock, and Americana. Tennessee born in 1972, he began his music career in the late 1990s and gained wider attention with heartfelt, gritty songs and energetic live shows. Hoge’s songwriting is marked by vivid storytelling and emotional honesty; his catalog includes fan favorites like “Even If It Breaks Your Heart” (a No. 1 hit for the Eli Young Band, written by Hoge), “Strong,” and “Another Song Nobody Will Hear.” He has released multiple independent and label albums, toured extensively across the U.S., and built a devoted fanbase through persistent touring and collaborations with other roots-rock and country artists. Hoge’s music often explores themes of resilience, small-town life, and personal struggle, delivered with robust vocals and a driving band sound.

We are so excited to host this exciting duo of Nashville musicians. If you like what you hear (and we believe you will), consider trekking north for a long weekend where they will be performing again at Mile of Music!