To me, Kevin Welch is true musician. He exhibits great passion and skill when he plays, and he seems to take just simple pleasure from playing, singing, and listening to music. I first saw Kevin last summer ('03), live at Gruene Hall. I was thoroughly impressed with his lyrics and guitar playing/picking ability. Last night, I saw Kevin perform at the Cactus Cafe with Ray Wyllie Hubbard and Jimmy LaFave. Not to discount the other two, but Kevin seemed to be the most versatile. His songs ranged from slow, soft and humble to powerful, cynical, and a touch of rockabilly. His guitar playing was almost as versatile. When he wasn't "up", he would listen to the others play, and he would start up an accompaniment on the fly. Of course, there is some trouble in paradise... my wife bought a CD, which we listened on the way home from the concert. And it wasn't nearly as good as Kevin sounded live. It had an over-engineered sound to it. He really shines when it's just him and his guitar, and all the slight imperfections that make a live show wonderfully unique.