The Homegrown Hideaway Songwriters Series aims to spotlight artists from Norfolk County and surrounding communities, creating an environment that encourages intimate, heartfelt storytelling.

Rather than following the typical Songwriters Round format, this show will begin with an opening performance of original music by Nolan Gibson and Amber Banks. After a brief intermission, father and sons Duane Rutter, Josh Rutter, and Eli Rutter will take the stage, sharing songs and stories from their unique musical journeys.

Without further ado, meet the Rutters:

Duane

A life-long resident of Norfolk County, Duane Rutter is fundamentally a worker. From the time he was able, he’s worked in tobacco fields, graveyards, factories, fire halls, and for nearly half a century, on stage. His labor extends to the quality of his songs, which are built on the timeless foundation of roots music in nature but irreplicable on an artistic level.

Since 2006 he has released 3 LPs, the latter of which, Crazy Things, received critical acclaim at home and abroad and featured collaborations with the Band’s Garth Hudson.

From modern-day fables to quiet, kitchen-sink drama, Duane’s stories lend themselves well to the Americana tradition but with the sincerity and wit that can only come from lived experience.

Josh

The elder of Duane’s sons, Josh Rutter understands the brute-force effect a great song has on the soul. Lending his talents as a drummer, guitarist, and vocalist to several hard rock bands throughout the 2000s, Josh released his first album of original material with punk trio the Butterbox Babies in 2019. On that LP, unforgettable melodies and raw, high-octane performances elevated one another.

As a solo act, Josh uses that intensity in a more intimate way. With an acoustic guitar, structure, hooks, and the artist’s connection to the material shine. Lyrically, his songs use symbolism, conversational passages, and stream-of-consciousness to give a first-person view to the art of introspection.

Eli

The youngest of the Rutter Boys, Eli can thank his family for his musical tastes, with a special respect for originality and conviction. In 2023 under the stage name Eli Wells, he released his debut album, The Big Heirloom, which examined the effect of mass communication on the world from a personal lens.

His lyrical style is often impressionist, with strokes hazy enough to let the imagination draw the more intimate details. Topics as vast as language, obsolescence, and chauvinism—and as personal as longing, guilt, and belonging—constitute his catalogue, always with a calling card in the form of an unshakeable hook.