For acoustic blues guitarist Kelly Joe Phelps, no amount of hype will ever overshadow the importance of music.

“I’m not good at selling myself,” Phelps says.

Phelps has released six critically acclaimed albums, played countless shows and received praise from musical peers such as Steve Earle and Bill Frisell. But the musician doesn’t let all the positive attention go to his head.

“It’s a great honor to have people like that make note of something you’re trying to do,” Phelps says.

Phelps is touring to support “Tap the Red Cane Whirlwind,” his first live recording. Phelps had long considered a live album because of the improvisational nature of his shows.

“It’s something I’d been thinking about for the past eight years or so,” Phelps says.

Phelps plays a unique combination of slide and fingerstyle acoustic guitar, which was inspired by listening to pioneering players such as Chet Atkins and Leo Kottke when Phelps was a teenager. Phelps often blends elements of folk, country and rock into his sound, but he is always respectful of the rich tradition he is part of as a blues musician.

“Tradition is important, that’s the foundation,” Phelps says. “It’s important to understand and know how to apply it.”

Revered by his fans and fellow musicians for his command of the instrument, Phelps offers instructional videos for sale via his Web site.

Though he has toured extensively throughout the United States and Europe and played in a variety of settings, Phelps says he feels his music is best suited to smaller venues such as the Maintenance Shop because of their more intimate nature. The fans play an equally important role in creating a fun atmosphere at his shows.

“A lot of it depends on the audience. They can make a large room seem small or a small room seem really big,” Phelps says. “The M-Shop is always fun; I like that room a lot.”

Although Phelps’ music was initially inspired by the legendary players who came before him, he is just as likely to draw incentive from a variety of non-musical sources.

“I get it more from things outside music,” Phelps says. “Reading books, watching films and driving through weird towns.”