Ahead of his show tonight at the 9:30 Club, we take a trip down memory lane and talk to acclaimed and talk to nternationally acclaimed soul singer Mayer Hawthorne.

The first time Mayer Hawthorne and his backing band, The County, rode in to town a year ago, there was some buzz surrounding him. Checking in on the Ann Arbor, Michigan native Thursday night at the Black Cat, it was obvious the buzz had been amplified a few notches: there was a larger venue, a larger crowd and a series of sponsored multimedia displays that reminded you who you were here to see.