When we arrived at Adams Morgan bar Felix last Tuesday to catch a Justin Jones show, we found Jones himself standing in the doorway as Felix's de facto bouncer. "Can I see some I.D.?" asked the stubbled 27-year-old. Then, with a wry grin and a "Nah, I'm just messing with you," Jones waved us inside.

Offstage, it's tough to tell when Jones is just messing with you. Which is ironic, because as soon as he picks up a guitar, he's as genuine as they come. The layers of sarcasm melt away to reveal an individual who doesn't gloss over his heartache and personal failures. Which might amount to belly-aching if it weren't for Jones' staggering talent. The Rawley Springs, VA native picked up the guitar shortly after potty-training, and began writing songs at the age of 14. More recently, Jones has moved to D.C., gotten a job bartending at the 9:30 Club, and put out two "hillbilly soul" albums, 2004's solo Blue Dreams and last year's Love Verses Heroin with his backing band, The Driving Rain.

Last week at Felix, Justin started off with a few solo numbers, then seamlessly incorporated members of the Driving Rain, building momentum song by song. First Andrew Nelson joined Jones on stage and picked up the acoustic bass. Later, Nelson switched to the electric bass, Tim Lyons joined in on guitar and Adam Dawson on drums. The group weaves together elements of bluegrass, folk and soul to create a sound evocative of Tom Waits or Woody Guthrie. What this sound lacks in uniqueness, it makes up for in warmth and intensity, particularly on the heartbreakingly matter-of-fact song, "Such a nice guy."

Do yourself a favor and go see a Justin Jones show. Even if you're not into country music, per se. Even if you think D.C. has a glut of guys-with-guitars. Maybe it's his husky voice, his unvarnished woundedness, or the swells of drum and bass from The Driving Rain, but somehow a Jones performance overpowers even the most twang-averse listener.

Visit Justin Jones online at: www.justin-jones.com

See Justin Jones and The Driving Rain next: May 11th at the Velvet Lounge

Questions for Justin Jones and The Driving Rain:

Do you think D.C. is a tough market for your kind of folksy, country music?

Justin: No. What’s the right market?

Nashville?

Justin: It’s interesting because people around here throw that “country” label out anytime they hear something that isn’t indie rock. I mean, in Nashville they would not think I was country at all.

Adam: Justin doesn’t do any songs about the troops. Or his shiny new truck.

Justin: Not yet. I just wrote a song a few hours ago...(laughs)

Adam: Who’s to say that D.C. is this hotbed of indie rock? Find me anyone who’s turned this whole town upside down and everyone’s coming from miles around to see a band from D.C. I mean, D.C.’s a tough town period. It doesn’t matter if you’re doing polka.

Justin: Which is a direction we’re thinking about going in...(laughs)

Adam: We’re thinking about polka.

So, you guys are starting to record your second album together, correct?

Justin: Next week we go into the studio to record the bass and drums.

Where's the studio?

Justin: It's in Potomac, or...I don't know. I haven't been there before. I'll send you directions once I get the email.

Adam: The beauty of it is, it could be anywhere. It used to be you had to go into a $200 an hour place with jaded burnout guys behind the glass laughing at you. But now you can just go to anybody who has an Apple and Protools. You can just go to their basement and it’s a lot more laidback.

What's your take on the D.C. voting rights debate?

Justin: I just try not to talk about politics ever. I definitely don’t talk about politics at all in my music.

I wanted to ask your opinion because it's a topic many DCist readers are interested in.

Justin: Wow. Politics. That's a surprising topic for a blog in D.C.

Adam: [Writing songs about politics] gives whatever you talk about a shelf life of like two years. You write a song called “Bush Sucks” or whatever. I mean, presidents come and go. You’re gonna look like an asshole when the guy leaves office.

Justin: Until the next Bush is in office.

Do you guys have favorite venues that you like to play at in D.C.?

Justin: Felix would have to be on the top of that list. You know, there’s not a lot of great venues in town. Obviously there’s Black Cat and 9:30.

Adam: 9:30 Club’s awesome to play at.

Justin: Yeah. But how often…you get that once every two or three years if you’re lucky. I think Velvet Lounge has the best sound system of any small, shitty club in town.

Joel (Justin's manager): You might want to delete that "shitty" when you type that out.

Justin: But what I mean is the small dive clubs. I like playing at Velvet Lounge, the sound is awesome.

What are some albums you’ve been listening to lately?

Justin: Ben Kweller’s latest album is really good.

Tim: Sam Cooke, Live at the Harlem Square Club.There’s a really cool band called Fiction Plane. An English group. Sting's kid is the lead guy.

That’s a lot to live up to for Sting’s kid.

Justin: Yeah, it must be really hard to get into the business too. Cause how do you get that meeting?

Adam: Who do you give your songs to? (Laughs)

Tim: They’re really good though. It’s kinda post-punk.

Adam: It’s cool when that happens. It’s not like Kelly Osbourne putting out a record...

Justin: Which was a great record, by the way.