Folk musician David Huckfelt and blues musician Tom Walbank have been good friends for 22 years now, having first met at a coffee shop in the city of Tucson. Walbank was a barista at the time and Huckfelt struck up conversation with him, mentioning that had a gig at the Red Room Grill. 

“I said hello to him at a coffee shop where he was a barista and I told him I was playing that night at the Red Room at the grill,” Huckfelt said. “I just mentioned it, but Tom understood that it was an invitation. 

“He came down with his harmonica and we’ve been playing together ever since.” 

The two are joining each other once again for a performance at La Rosa — one of Tucson’s newest venues for music and entertainment. Between Huckfelt and Walbank, each musician will play his own set, followed by a performance together. On Thursday, Dec. 4, the two friends’ show will also serve as a celebration of their new albums — Huckfelt’s “I Was Born, But…” and Walbank’s “In the Details.” 

“I Was Born, But…” is a collection of 17 songs by various other artists. Each song, Huckfelt said, was recorded in one or two takes, backed by his band, “The Unarmed Forces of Sonora” — Gabriel Sullivan, Winston Watson, Thoger Lund and Connor Gallaher. His favorite track on the record, he said, is Walbank’s rendition of “Who Do You Love,” by Bo Diddley.

“We all jumped in together with a new arrangement of that song — Tom led it and sounds great,” Huckfelt said. 

“In the Details” is a collection of 17 tracks — all music Walbank has created over the years. He said he has a soft spot for the song “Rainwater Blues,” which he recorded with Dimitri Manos, Nick Augustine, Gabriel Sullivan and Howe Gelb.    

“I was raising my knee to keep the guitar chord in there, because telecasters are famous for useless jacks,” Walbank said with a laugh. “You’re getting all this electrical crickle-crackle and I was just like, (expletive) it — and I turned it up.” 

Despite creating music in different genres, each artist said that their respective style of music stands out for its authenticity and emotional honesty. 

“It’s the lack of (expletive),” Walbank said. “It’s people expressing unapologetically how they’re feeling — and usually in a way that cuts straight through to your heart.” 

“Nothing could be more boring than bad folk music,” Huckfelt said. “I just think you have to tell the truth about who you are — otherwise it falls flat.”

For both Walbank and Huckfelt, Tucson is a special place associated with myriad wonderful memories, including the day they became friends. Walbank said that the city is an exceptionally accepting place and served as a great community for up and coming musicians. He said it is a much more welcoming city and space for music than Los Angeles, for instance. 

Huckfelt recalled one of his fondest memories of the city from his early days in the industry as well. 

“There was a public community center that had six computers in a circle and musicians would go down there in the mornings and check their emails to see if they got any gigs,” he said. “I remember sitting in a circle with John Convertino and Joey Burns, somewhere around 10:20 a.m., and sleepy eyed musicians would go down to see what was next.

“I look fondly on my time in Tucson.” 

Soon to take the stage at La Rosa Tucson, Huckfelt and Walbank said they are thrilled for the experience to perform at the Venue and see many of their old friends. 

“It’s a wonderful new venue in Tucson and it looks absolutely beautiful,” Walbank said. “I’m playing with David, I know the musicians who are going to be playing with us on the show —  they’re all friends and they’re all amazing musicians.”  

David Huckfelt and Tom Walbank
WHEN: 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 4
WHERE: La Rosa, 800 N. Country Club Road, Tucson
COST: $15.58 general admission
INFO: larosatucson.org