Will Hoge in Concert at The Ark in Ann Arbor [Photos]

Two hours on stage at the intimate club in Ann Arbor proved Will Hoge is the best singer/songwriter not being played on Country radio.

After the show, I commended Will Hoge for an incredible performance and confessed "I program a Country radio station and I don't know why we aren't playing your records." "Well, why aren't you?" was his affable response.

Ann Arbor's intimate 400 seat downtown loft The Ark is my second-favorite place to see a concert and Will Hoge has just earned a spot on my Top 10 list of live performers.

The songs are about us: Average Americans and everyday Joes who struggle with love and life, making rent and making sense of all this. "Every day is Friday night and I got that scars to prove it" boasts the protagonist of "Too Old To Die Young" and the central character of "Trying To Be A Man" struggles with the responsibilities of fatherhood after “she handed me those two pink lines, the only test in my whole life I didn’t fail.” A major-league dreamer is “thinkin’ someday a fastball will get me out of town” in "Little Bity Dreams" before "settlin' down in the same small town." 

It's not just the songs. It's the voice. The voice reveals depth, grit and honesty. When Will Hoge sings, you believe him. His songs and stories of heartbreak come to life on the stage. Standing alone at the microphone with an acoustic guitar, seated playing an electric or at the piano with the harmonica strapped on it was an enjoyable night of drama in words and music.

Will Hoge has been "the next big thing" twice. He earned a Grammy nomination in 2012 for co-writing "Even If It Breaks Your Heart," a song the Eli Young Band parlayed into a #1 hit. The next year, Chevrolet used his song "Strong" in a truck commercial.

One of these days, this guy is going to get the big break. Like his characters from middle class middle America, he has a strong work ethic and keeps on writing these songs about life. Songs about his life, your life, our lives. He travels the country in a van crafting new songs in hotel rooms along the way. You can bet that the next time Will Hoge comes our way I will be at the show once again.

Bonus Video: Will Hoge: "Even If It Breaks Your Heart"