Singer-songwriter Mark Currey has been creating his own kind of music in central Arkansas for years, blending roots rock, blues, swamp rock, gospel, Americana and classic country, in the framework of the band Monkhouse.

As solo or with Monkhouse, Currey has opened shows for or performed with Billy Joe Shaver, David Olney, Todd Snider, Wanda Jackson, Amanda Shires, Amy Garland and Monte Montgomery. He has been a featured storyteller on Tales From the South, the downtown North Little Rock-based radio series.

“You have to tell true stories on that show, and mine, ‘Fort Worth Blues,’ was about my dad and an old Martin guitar,” he says. “I was born in Fort Worth and we lived there until I was 10 or 11, then from middle school on, I grew up in Monticello. I went to college in Conway,met a girl and 28 years later, we’re still married and have four kids.”

Currey (whose “day job” is in the communication and design department at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences) will sing and play acoustic guitar at his Wednesday headline performance at South on Main in a trio format, accompanied by Dan Schoultz on upright bass and Alex Piazza on pedal steel, lap steel and guitar.

“We’ll be doing 70 to 80 percent original music, either my solo stuff or Monkhouse music,” Currey says, “plus covers by folks representing a range of Americana sounds, such as Guy Clark, Johnny Cash and Slaid Cleaves. I love songwriters who are able to paint a picture in their songs.”

One of Monkhouse’s recent songs, “Ain’t That Angry,” is available as a download with proceeds going to benefit The Van, which Aaron Reddin started as a way to take aid to homeless camps in central Arkansas.

“That song was based on a conversation I had with Aaron one day,” Currey says. “He now has vans that go around helping the homeless in Little Rock, Russellville, east Arkansas and Atlanta. There are shelters that help some of the homeless population, but some of them won’t take women, or women with children, so there’s a real needout there to set up shelters that do take them.”

Currey recorded the song at Jason Weinheimer’s Fellowship Hall Sound, and is hoping to record there again - a solo project - in the spring.

Mark Currey

8 p.m. Wednesday, South

on Main, 13th and Main streets (former location of Juanita’s), Little Rock

Admission: free

(501) 244-9660

metrotix.com

Style, Pages 33 on 12/03/2013