With recent talk of a politically right — or red — south, Shannon Lawson says he decided to bring the traditional blue roots from below the Mason-Dixon line. Well, bluegrass music roots, at least. Lawson says he is a confident, guitar wheeling, bona-fide country star.

“There’s only two types of music,” Lawson says, “good and bad. And I’m good. I’m not just good. I’m damn good.”

Lawson’s confidence is based on more than ego trips. Aside from learning to play guitar at the age of four and having performed for more than 20 years, Lawson is confident because he has faith in his craft. In fact, it’s one of the few things he has faith in.

“If I wasn’t playing or singing, I’d die,” Lawson says.

Writing and performing is all Lawson has ever wanted to do. He hasn’t considered any other professions or directions.

“I’m a student of music and always will be until I’m dead,” Lawson says. “There will never come a time when there is not something for me to learn.”

Lawson says he is unable to pinpoint just one or two artists he would like to play with. There so many artists he respects that to pick one would be nearly impossible.

“You get tested when you play with people better than you,” Lawson says. “They bring things out of you you never knew were there. Even if it hurts in the front end, I’ll come out ahead.”

His influences range from country stars to soul legends, rock gods to family members and their choices. The foundation of his musical background is in bluegrass and country but he sayshe’s learned from almost every genre.

“I’m a mutt, a mix of a bunch of different styles,” Lawson says. “I mean my first professional gig was with a black soul band.”

Lawson says being a musical mutt allows him to connect with broader audiences and he enjoys playing largely to college crowds because of that connection.

“That’s where I come from,” Lawson says. “That’s how I paid for my first year of college.”

The college crowds, Lawson feels, are more open to different styles of music and experimentation, allowing him to give more in his live performances.

“I feed off of an audience,” Lawson says, “probably more than I should.”

While he works to engage any crowd, after a while the audience’s energy affects Lawson.

“I react immediately to the crowds,” Lawson says. “I have to. Since I was 18, I’ve been making my living off of crowds in clubs and bars. Their reaction is my life.”

With his sophomore album “The Big Yee Haw,” Lawson decided to go with his gut feelings and play his own music, not someone else’s version of his music.

“I don’t play a safe kind of music,” Lawson says. “It’s what I like to hear.”

Larson knows exactly just why anyone should come see him jam.

“Because I’m a bad mother fucker,” he says.

Shannon Lawson

M-Shop

9 p.m. Friday

$8 students, $10 public