Members of Exit 76, a band from Liberty County, recently finished in the top three at a songwriters showcase at the Red Clay Music Foundry in Duluth.
Wyatt Richey and Dakota Woods made the trip, along with several family members and supporters.  
Richey and Woods competed against 13 songwriters from across the state, playing their originals “Climb Inside,” “Not Over You” and “Wild & Rowdy.” They did not win, but were joined in the top three by Wrenn, a band out of Athens, and Julie Gribble, who recently moved back to Georgia from Nashville.
“When the stage manager tapped me on the shoulder and motioned us to come on, I was like, ‘Where does this guy want us to go?’ but then I thought, ‘Heck, at this point, if he said go jump off a bridge, I probably would just to get the chance to sing on that stage again,’” Richey said.
“And they asked us to come back again soon, which is very encouraging that we are on the right track with our music,” Woods said.
At this independent music and songwriter venue, patrons from around the region routinely gather. Founder Eddie Own helped superstars John Mayer, the Indigo Girls and Sugarland get their starts by giving them a stage to hone their craft and build a following.
For more information, go to www.exit76band.com. For more on the Foundry, go to duluthmusiclessons.rocks.