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Singer and songwriter Andrew McKnight, described by critics as having an "Appalachian soul," can't wait to return to Brunswick for his second annual Labor Day weekend concert at popular coffee house Beans in the Belfry.

"I love the place," said McKnight, who will perform Sunday with his band, Beyond Borders. "I think it's very cool. I seek out places that are unique and places with character."

Together for almost two years, the band has already garnered praise and awards from across the region for their eclectic mix of folk, rock, blues and traditional Appalachian ballads.

The band consists of McKnight, who has spent 12 years traveling and playing in his solo career, and fellow top-notch musicians like original Nitty Gritty Dirt Band member Les Thompson, and his wife Stephanie, who sings harmony vocals and plays guitar. Wammie-winning singer Lisa Taylor rounds out the roster, offering a sound unlike any other.

"The coolest thing is to be in a band with two men and two women. They are all such accomplished instrumentalists and singers and we can do a lot with the blend of our voices," said McKnight.

Hailing from Virginia, the bandleader still performs solo, but loves connecting with his band mates and audiences as part of Beyond Borders.

"When I'm doing the one-man band thing, I enjoy myself, but I definitely miss my band mates. They are both very different methods of play," McKnight said.

During concerts, the band performs tunes from the five CDs McKnight has recorded since leaving the corporate world in 1996. The songs, which he's either written or collaborated on, are influenced by different sounds and performers, from the Carter Family to Woodie Guthrie, as well as events in McKnight's personal life, including the recent birth of his daughter.

Songs, especially those from his most recent album, "Something to Stand For," blend traditional and contemporary, blues and rock, as well as folk.

McKnight, who notes he didn't truly pick up writing skills until later in his career, won an Americana Album of the Year award in 2005 from the Independent Music Awards. He also won the Great American Song Contest for one of his songs.

Beyond Borders has taken many of these songs and created new arrangements and adaptations to give them their own signature sound, McKnight said. The band also throws in a couple of traditional folk tunes every now and then, allowing McKnight to exercise his talents as an engaging storyteller.

The band is slowly finding their own stamp on music and is beginning to write original songs together.

"It's great fun to write together. I get the most jazzed about writing when we begin working with each other," McKnight said.

Beyond Borders is looking forward to this weekend's event, which will hopefully bring the same sold-out crowd as their concert did last year.

"We've been hard at work all summer working on arrangements and we're anxious to share them in a low-key, fun environment. I think it will be a great show," said McKnight.

When: 7 p.m. Sunday

Where: Beans in the Belfry, 122 W. Potomac St., Brunswick

Tickets: $15

For information:

301-834-7178.

www.beansinthebelfry.com

www.andrewmcknight.net