The rumors are true. Gifted signer-songwriter Matt Hires - best known around his home base of Tampa Bay as the barefooted former frontman for Americana act Brer - has become the first artist signed to new Atlantic Records subsidiary F-Stop Music. F-Stop will be releasing Hires' debut EP Live From Hotel Cafe on Tuesday, October 7, and Hires will celebrate by headlining a bill packed with quality Florida singer-songwriters at beloved hometown venue New World Brewery on Wednesday, October 8.

While Hires' unique stage presence and elastic voice were grabbing the attention of Florida original-music fans, his songwriting was grabbing the attention of industry insiders scouring Myspace for the next big thing. Now, nearly a year after an Atlantic A&R reached out to him, Hires is touring with jam-pop favorites O.A.R. and releasing his first EP, with a full-length CD scheduled to come out next spring.

On Wednesday, October 10, Hires will return to New World Brewery to celebrate Live From Hotel Cafe, along with fellow Floridian songwriters Damion Suomi, Nathalia Estrada. Tampa musician Chris Tolan, who plays guitar for rising regional rock act The Beauvilles, also puts in a rare solo appearance.