Let’s put something to rest. Bastard Sons of Johnny Cash is not made up of the illegitimate love children of the late, great “Man in Black.”

But Cash did give the band — and only this band — his blessing on its choice of name.

Bastard Sons will be bringing that sound to Ames’ Maintenance Shop Tuesday.

To set the record really straight, let’s look at where they come from in the first place. They don’t come from anywhere near the country music capital of Nashville, Tenn. In fact, lead singer/songwriter Mark Stuart is from San Diego, Calif.

“I was exposed to country music as a child by my parents,” Stuart says. “My Mom was a big western music fan and had that around the house a lot.”

Stuart also explained where they got the name for the band. Sort of.

“My Dad [took me] to go fishing many, many times when I was growing up,” Stuart says. “When we went, we listened to a lot of 8-track Johnny Cash tapes.”

But is that the real story?

“The honest truth is that the name just popped into my head one day while I was playing,” Stuart says. “It fits with what we are trying to do musically.”

Their music style is never set, Stuart says, and it’s never supposed to be just country.

“I never set out to make a strict country record,” Stuart says. “The idea on the last one was to go in and make a traditional record in the spirit of the outlaw classics by Waylon [Jennings], Willie [Nelson] and Kris [Kristofferson].”

That sound shines through on the band’s two albums. Their first, “Walk Alone,” gave the world a brand new way to look at honky-tonk. The second album, “Distance Between,” which was released in 2002, expanded upon that style. On “Distance Between,” Stuart’s voice sounds a bit like a younger Waylon Jennings on some tracks. Stuart also knows how to write songs about such country themes as tears in your beer and driving 18-wheelers on dark and lonely highways.

Stuart says the current incarnation of the Bastard Sons, which has been around in some form or another for eight years, have only been together for a couple of years.

“A good band is always a work in progress,” Stuart says. “You may love the type of music you’re playing, but you’re always looking for the best way to present it. Bringing in new people makes the sound stay fresh too.”

Stopping in Ames for a show is a highlight of any tour they’ve played, Stuart says.

“We are in week five of a six week tour,” Stuart says. “We are looking forward to playing at the Maintenance Shop next Tuesday. We have played there once, but we fell in love with the place. I would have to say it’s one of our favorite places to play in the country.”

The death of Johnny Cash hit the band hard, Stuart says.

“We got the news that Johnny Cash had died since we’ve been on the road,” Stuart says. “That’s probably the biggest event that has happened to us this tour.”

The late Johnny Cash, who reportedly went against the wishes of his own recording label when he gave his blessing to his “Bastard Sons,” should rest easy knowing they carry on his legacy.

“The sound of Johnny Cash inspired me quite a bit personally,” Stuart says. “I always admired how he was able to stay true to what he did so long into his career.

“Through the years he was able to stand up to the establishment and do what he wanted to do. He proved simple songwriting could be best.”

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Who: Bastard sons of Johnny Cash, Jared Shehan

Where: M-Shop

Time: 8:00 p.m. Tuesday

Cost: $6.00 students, $8.00 public