Ray Flanagan

It was a big year for Northeast Ohio’s music scene, as many bands and artists ramped back up from the pandemic slowdown. On this week’s Shuffle, Ideastream Public Media’s Amanda Rabinowitz and Brittany Nader share some of their favorite local independent releases of the year.

The COVID-19 pandemic has limited the ability of many artists to make music. But Cleveland singer-songwriter Ray Flanagan says the isolation freed his creativity and challenged him to develop new skills. He released two songs every month in 2021, and plans to continue this year.

Akron musician Marc Lee Shannon has performed all over the country, most notably as the longtime guitarist for Cleveland rocker Michael Stanley. Now,…