(Photo Credit: Youtube/musiccityroots)

Meet Pokey Lafarge, who is soon to be one of the most famous musicians to have been raised in Normal, Illinois.

This 2001 graduate of University High School is returning home to do a show for his grandmother's 87th birthday. Luckily we are all invited to the musical extravaganza on February 23rd, 2013 at THE CASTLE in Bloomington. Click HERE for tickets, which are only 10-12 bucks. (That's a deal and a half!)

From PokeyLafarge.net:

Pokey LaFarge and the South City Three are next in line to make a significant impact on music enthusiasts everywhere. From St. Louis, Missouri, their creative mix of early jazz, string ragtime, country blues and western swing rings true and fine, making them among the most innovative of all the purists performing American roots music today. It's wonderfully infectious, and all laid down in front of a big, big swingin' beat. A lot of performers are content to play old material, reworking the tunes to give them new life or to stamp them with personal style. But this group, led by guitar-plucking troubadour Pokey LaFarge, achieves timelessness with original songs while honoring the legendary artists of yesterday through covered tunes. Accompanied by The South City Three, Pokey uses his booming voice as an instrument with an incredible range; one moment he shouts a line and the next he croons above his parlor guitar. Pokey's extraordinary blend of raw talent and refined, idiosyncratic charm turns reviewers into poets as they attempt to label his one-of-a-kind sound.--Al Scorch

Click HERE for the Pokey interview heard on WBNQ January 24th on the morning show. (Pokey even tells you his real name...shhhhhh)

Ready to hear what you have been missing?

Just last month while visiting my brother, I had a wonderful biscuit breakfast at the famous Loveless Cafe just outside of Nashville TN. I saw the musical venue behind the cafe, but didn't get to see a show. Here is Pokey on that very stage, performing "In The Jailhouse Now" during a Music City Roots live show.

I'll see you at the show!

--Susan Saunders 2/23/13