Folk artist Willy Porter has shared the stage with megastars like Paul Simon, Sting, Jeff Beck, and Tori Amos, the latter of which he played with on her 1998 album “From the Choirgirl Hotel.” The Milwaukee native has been performing live for 16 years, and tonight he will grace the stage of the Maintenance Shop with his critically acclaimed live set. Porter took time to talk to Pulse about all things music, and here’s what he had to say:

On when he first knew he would be a performer:

“It was probably when I first heard the Jackson Five; either that or Ringo and Clapton on ‘You Know it Don’t Come Easy.’ It’s probably a toss-up between those two.”

On playing solo vs. playing with a band:

“It’s really fun to do both, if I have gratitude for anything; it’s being able to tour solo and have the songs work, and if the situation merits, have a full band. I really like being able to do both.”

On the illegal downloading of music:

“I know that it’s going to hurt a little bit when I put out a new record. But the same people that download stuff are the folks that come to the shows. They buy a T-shirt or CD because they want the artwork. I think it comes down to having more realistic expectations – making a living, not a killing, off of music. If you’re willing to tour, you’ll survive. There’s no way to replace human beings in a room – you’ll never be able to replicate that. Somebody up there putting it all on the line . is a dramatic thing to behold.”

On performing:

“I’m still at the point of awe when there are people in the seats. I don’t have a lot of self-aggrandizement . in terms of feeling entitled to an audience, feeling entitled to play a show. That’s the beauty of the whole chemistry between a musician and the audience – it’s definitely a synergy and a communication. If you lose that then the spell is broken; I have deep respect for that.”