Over the last 10 years, Kort McCumber has honed his skills as a working musician playing more than 1000 live shows throughout the U.S. and Europe. Kort writes, plays and sings Americana Music - equal parts folk, country, blues and bluegrass, with a healthy dose of something fresh.

After moving to Colorado in 2003, the music took a decidedly more country/bluegrass turn and dug deeper into the roots of his Scotch-Irish heritage.

In 2007, he released his sixth CD, "Lickskillet Road," featuring appearances from Vince Gill, Sally Van Meter, Don Conoscenti and more. Last year, he was back in the mixing booth putting the finishing touches on a live DVD, captured at the famed Boulder Theater on an awesome night that saw no less than 15 great musicians join him on stage.

Somewhere along the line he also found time to compete in, and win, a couple nationally known singer songwriter contests.

Kort weaves a rich and diverse tapestry of musical experience, skill and energy into each and every one of his many musical endeavors. A classically trained pianist and cellist (he learned from his mom, Joy Myers, who played for the Jacksonville Symphony for more than two decades) today Kort plays guitar, mandolin, banjo, harmonica, piano, bouzouki, cello, bass, and more. He also plays golf. Or at least he used to - NCAA Division I golf. His Father Jim owns McCumber Golf, a worldwide leader in course design and operations and Uncle Mark spent nearly 30 years on the PGA Tour, playing today on the Senior Tour.

"People ask me why I chose music over golf," says Kort. "Well, I didn't. I didn't choose music, it chose me."

Americana music fans are glad it did.

Live and in person or through the magic of recording technology, you gotta check out this hard driving and hard driven musician. He's back in the studio this year with a "really exciting project for me," as he says. "Not quite as country as the last record - a little more back to my folk roots. Of course I'll still play the country and bluegrass live. I love that stuff. But the time is right to record some other stuff, a little more social commentary and a little more direct to the times."

You can check out Kort as he passes through the Lowcountry this Saturday night. He'll be at Morgan Creek Grill on the Isle of Palms. You can find out more at www.morgancreekgrill.com , where you can find a schedule of the great acts appearing there.

One such act is Smoky Wiener, this Friday. If you've never had a chance to check him out live, your in for a real treat. Weiner, who plays harmonica and sings, blends blues and surf rock into a style of his own. His song list consist of blues standards along with his own compositions. Two of my favorites are "I Ain't Got the Money Right Now" and "That's About The Size Of It".

Until next week, support live music and be nice to each other.

(Stu can be contacted at sjohnson@allnightkungfu.com)