Micah Dalton has some pretty big shoes to fill. The singer/songwriter has been likened to a “cleverer Ben Harper” and an ‘80s era Prince by Paste magazine and a songwriter in the style of Paul Simon by The Nashville Scene. While it may seem somewhat presumptuous to compare this young, largely unknown performer to such successful artists, Dalton is the real deal.

A native of Atlanta, Dalton has been performing and recording there in some of the best studios in town for years now. Recently he signed with the small non-profit Athens-based indie Rebuilt Records, which puts out albums from local “starving artists.” With vibrant slide guitars outlining many of his tunes and a too-good-to-be-true voice this veteran road warrior has been touring tirelessly across the South, dishing out his version of Southern pop/soul.

On “Pawnshop,” Dalton’s third recording project and most recent release, the young song writer spins off 12 tracks all focused on the telling of a uniquely Southern story. It’s fairly rare to see a new artist release a concept album so early in their career, but the tracks on “Pawnshop” represent a burgeoning musician who is coming in to his own as a master-crafter.

Micah Dalton will be performing at Eighth & Rail in Opelika on Friday, March 26. Check out myspace.com/micahdalton for more info. and to preview some of his tunes.