To kick off the new spring semester and welcome students, WUMB, UMass Boston’s folk radio station, sponsored Ryan Montbleau to play on the first floor of McCormack Building January 28. WUMB also held a drawing. WUMB is best known for holding the annual Folk Festival at UMB, bringing in a multitude of genres under its musical umbrella: folk, bluegrass, jazz, and much more. However, with the introduction of Montbleau, WUMB shows its smarts in presenting a pop-folk musician with an engaging manner. In a part music, part open dialogue performance, Ryan related the story of his beginnings and his subsequent foray into the life of a traveling minstrel.

“I’d like to see John Mayer do this,” sings Montbleau to a captivated UMB audience.

Counting Stevie Ray Vaughn and Jimi Hendrix among his musical influences, this former substitute teacher turned artist has struck out on his own, touring from week to week. The Davis Square resident opened for John Hammon recently, one of his idols.

Having just returned from a New York club stint, Montbleau sings of telling children to shut up and do their worksheets. At 26, he has released one album, “Begin,” and is working on a second titled “Stages.” His fast growing reputation is, in large part, due to the fact that he will play anywhere at anytime.

Montbleau says that his work as a substitute teacher prepared him for audiences. He began his grueling schedule by teaching in the morning after having played a few sets at clubs the night before. What accounts for his raw lyrics?

“I have the tendency not to revise things as much as I should,” he laughs. Montbleau has come far, from singing to himself in the confines of his car to having just completed two national tours.

A Peabody resident, Montbleau got his start playing at the House of Blues in Cambridge until he began selling out shows regularly. However, he traces his musical roots back far earlier. He received a black Fender Squire and Squire amp from his father when he was nine and played a little before he sold it in high school, receiving a low quality acoustic guitar in return.

“They tell me I sing like Stevie Wonder. That’s about the best compliment I could ever receive, so I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of hearing it. As far as the guitar style, I’m not sure where the thumpy thing really came from. Just a matter of beating on your guitar for years, I suppose. If you keep being honest with yourself and having fun with your instrument, some pretty amazing things can come out.”

Montbleau will be playing Thursday, February 12 at Perk’s Coffee vHouse in Norwood.

At the moment, WUMB is accepting donated CDs, DVDs, and videos which will be sold at the Annual Music Marketplace to raise money for the Folk Festival. The sale will run from March 6-7. Last year, WUMB featured talent such as KoKo Taylor and Her Blues Machine and Emmylou Harris. You can listen in at 90.9FM for folk and community news, afro-pop, live music, and interviews.