"Brad Wilson," the new self-titled album from guitarist-songwriter Brad Wilson, is an energetic offering in the tradition of Stevie Ray Vaughn, the Allman Brothers, and Jimi Hendrix.

The new album takes listeners on a rollicking musical journey through a soundscape Wilson calls "Americana."

"I always like to look at Americana as a mixture of the great American songwriters," Wilson said. "We play in the clubs so much on so many dates a year and in between sets, I enjoy the sound that comes out of the juke box. It all sounds good when you/re relaxing on a Saturday."

Wilson said his musical influences are the music of Stevie Ray Vaughn, Lynyrd Skynyrd, the Allman Brothers, Pearl Jam, Garth Brooks and Toby Keith. When Wilson blasts riffs off his Gibson Les Paul or Fender Stratocaster, he demonstrates a virtuosity and lyricism comparable to the aforementioned artists. "Rocket" gets the adrenaline flowing as a sort of /Born to be Wild/ for a new generation of chopper enthusiasts.

"A lot of times I play gigs with a lot of Harley riders," Wilson said. "So I get them talking to me about their experiences, so that/s what brought me to write /Rocket./ It/s a song about cruising the Coast."

"The Healer" reminds listeners of the Hendrix funk sound but the track carries enough originality and soul to make Wilson stand out from the crowd.

It/s no surprise, then, to learn Wilson, longtime frontman for the rock band Stone, won the All Access Music Award for Best Songwriter in 2004. All Access has nominated Wilson again this year for best songwriter and best blues group/artist. Wilson and Stone/s music have been featured in two recent John Carpenter horror films ("Ghosts of Mars" and "Vampires") and the NBC soap opera "Passions."

Wilson, 45, said he learned to play guitar at the age of 15 and soon began writing his own songs. "I started writing songs immediately after I could understand what the chord structures and arrangements were for my favorite songs within the first year of my taking guitar lessons," he said. "Songwriting to me is at the heart of what I do. It/s the most important thing to me. I try to keep a notebook with me and write about things that I see. Sometimes it takes couple of years to finish a song."

As a youngster, Wilson remembers there was always music in the house. He recalled some early influences.

"My family was part of the Columbia record club and they would get different records," he said. "Before I started to get records on my own, I would listen to Marty Robbins and Johnny Cash and, of course, The Beatles and the Rolling Stones. I always loved those Marty Robbins Western albums."

One of the tracks, "Sundown and the Cowboy," is a tribute to his parents and his childhood home on a ranch in northern Nevada.

"/Sundown/ was my father/s nickname for my mom," he said.

With Wilson/s band Stone on hiatus, Wilson is solo at the moment to promote his own songs.

"I enjoy the interaction between the audience and the band," Wilson said. "I like to put out a positive feeling for everyone to have a good time, relax and enjoy the show."

Wilson will perform at the Royal Scandinavian Inn in Solvang on Friday, Feb. 25, and Saturday, Feb. 26, at 8:30 p.m. on both dates. For more information on Brad Wilson and his music, visit www.bradwilsonlive.com.

Feb. 6, 2005