Mississippi native Johnny Rawls seems to have been born into the blues. During the last 60 years, the charged guitarist and singer has cut quick licks through and inserted a confident soulman croon into sophisticated, horn-abetted R&B. He's also worked as a record label owner, a lead man, a supporting singer, a producer, an arranger and a touring machine, a testament to his status, as he put it with the title of his April offering, as a Soul Survivor. If you enjoyed Solomon Burke's decade of resurgence, Rawls' combination of swagger and charm offers a similar avenue to romance and redemption. Tonight, he's backed by Mel Melton & the Wicked Mojos, a house band worth stopping in for. —Grayson Currin