JD Eicher, the acoustic rocker who has been one of the Mahoning Valley’s top artists for two decades, has released what he is calling his final album.

In a post he left on Instagram this week, he described the album – “The Finding” – as a farewell to his music career. The 13-song collection is now available on all streaming platforms.

Eicher told The Business Journal he did not wish to make any additional comments on his decision at this time, preferring to let his Instagram remarks say it all.

The Columbus-based artist is a Canfield native and a graduate of Westminster College. He played countless shows, both with his band and as a solo act, during his career and released 11 studio albums and a couple of live albums.

Eicher became known as one of the region’s most respected songwriters. His music was not hard edged; instead, it had a softer pace and carried thoughtful and personal lyrics.

But the release of “The Finding” puts that phase of his life in the past, he implied in his social media post.

Much like one of his songs, the artist was profound in what he wrote in the message, which was intended for his fans.

“For me, it’s honestly a strange time, as this release is also a sort of farewell,” he wrote. 

“With this new record, I finish a course of music I set out hoping to write many many years ago. I still can’t believe I’ve been doing this for 20 years.

“I’ve gotten to say more than I’d hoped, even, and I’ve grown up as a musician and as a person through these songs. What a gift it has been to share them and know they’ve connected with some of you.”

Eicher, 39, only lightly alluded to the possibility of making more art in the future. He did not mention what his next direction in life will be.

“There’s always more to say and more art to make, but … it’s been clear that it would be the right thing to end my artist project here with this album,” he wrote. “I know that bands come and go and that this is not some huge deal, but what is a huge deal – at least to me – is that many of you have shown up for, and allowed for, these songs in countless ways over the years. Some of you at a hero level. It gave me my living, and I need to thank you.”

His post concluded as follows:

“Thank you for listening and supporting and believing. Thank you for the chance to do this thing, despite the lack of mainstream support and gatekeeper blessing.

“I know that I’ll often tell my children, and hopefully grandchildren, stories from the years when I traveled all over the place and got to share this music with so many wonderful humans and play in a band with two of the finest musicians and men I’ll ever know.

“There’s no way to properly voice what all of it has meant. Please suffice it to say that no matter where life takes me from here, I will carry my gratitude for you forward always. It has been an honor to do it. You kept me going and I love you.

“Long live the song.”

Eicher lives in Delaware, Ohio, near Columbus, with his wife and their two young children. The family moved there from the Youngstown area about four years ago.

The artist formed his first band, JD Eicher & the Goodnights, while in college. He performed with bandmates Jim Merhaut on bass and Dylan Kollat on drums for just about his entire career.

Eicher toured the country for performances, and at one point did a run of shows in Europe. He produced and performed in his own annual rock fest, JD’s Summer Songfest, in downtown Youngstown, along with guest artists.

Eicher’s music has appeared in national ad campaigns. 

Because his songs were rife with meaning, his career took some rare turns. He was chosen to write music to accompany the release of best-selling author Nicholas Sparks’ 2016 novel “Two by Two” and accompanied the writer on a national book-signing tour that year.

In 2022, Eicher published his own novel, “The Lights Along Majesto.” The fictional story follows  the members of a budding rock band and delves into their personal relationships before ending in a surprising way. An album of his original music accompanied the novel.

Eicher’s dry sense of humor recently earned him an offbeat side gig making humorous social media commercials for Speedway, a gas station and convenience store chain.

Pictured at top: JD Eicher. (Photo by Rena Laverty)