Keller Williams seemingly does it all.

And this Thursday, for the first time in over a decade, he will be doing it in Sacramento.

The multi-talented guitarist/bassist/singer/songwriter/percussionist/radio host/children's book author is coming to Sacramento on Thursday for three separate performances: The first two as part of Yo Gabba Gabba! Live at Memorial Auditorium, and the last as the headliner at Harlow’s.

As for the former, having recently released a children’s album, aptly titled "Kids," Williams was a natural addition to the concert tour based on the hit Nickelodeon TV show of the same name.

As for the latter, the Fredericksburg, Va. native is a staple on the festival circuit, known for his virtuosity and ability to enthrall a packed house (or field) all by his lonesome.

The one-man band took time out before a Yo Gabba Gabba! show in Eugene, Ore. to speak with me about his recently released albums, his upcoming appearances in Sacramento, his love of San Francisco, and my favorite spots in Eugene, among other things.

My first attempt to reach him was picked up by his voicemail ("Yo, when that beep drops ... speak!")

My second attempt was far more successful.

The Sacramento Press: Thanks for taking the time out to speak with me this afternoon. I had the privilege catching your set at The Gathering of the Vibes in 2009, and then again last month at Hardly Strictly Bluegrass with the Keels. I enjoyed both sets immensely. 

Keller Williams: Thanks man. 

SP: What did you think about Hardly Strictly? 

KW: That was actually the second time that I've played there ... it's a great event. It pretty much just speaks volumes to that whole area and the history of the music … and how the whole idea of the free show came about. So that was a real honor for me to play both times. This last time was really cool because the stage that we were on had Moonalice, Railroad Earth, Yonder and the Avetts. It was really a special time. The whole lineup, the amount of famous people performing there, milling around was just unbelievable. I just love San Francisco and was very grateful to be a part of that festival both times, for sure. 

SP: I recently tried to describe your music to a friend who had never heard you before, and I think I failed pretty miserably. I think I went with jamgrassreggaefolk, all one word. How would you describe your sound or style to someone who hasn't heard you before? 

KW: I would say that your definition is pretty close. A common thing that I say is jazzfunktechnoreggaegrass ... Jazzfunkreggaetechnograss. Or to simplify you could say something like, you know, solo acoustic dance music. 

SP: I wanted to ask you, since we were talking about you with the Keels, about your new album, "Thief." It's a really eclectic mix of covers. “Rehab” is one that sort of jumps out at me when reading and listening to it, but as someone who came of age listening to alternative rock in the early '90s, I love the Cracker, Marcy Playground and Butthole Surfer covers. I think those were inspired. How'd you go about choosing the songs for the album? 

KW: Well the funny thing is that they kinda choose me in the sense that they creep into my psyche and they get stuck in my brain. I wake up singing them and go to bed singing them ... I have to kinda learn to play them and record them in order to get them out of my head, you know what I mean? 

SP: Your other new release is "Kids." What was the inspiration behind it? 

KW: I think that the inspiration behind that started with a record called "Not for kids only," by Jerry Garcia and David Grismen. I was listening to that long before I had kids, and then I had kids and listened to all kinds of kid music and get inspiration from my kids. A lot of people have told me, before I put out the kids record that my music is generally playful and their kids like it, so it’s been something I've been kicking around for a long long time. Some of the songs on the record I made up even before I had kids. I'm really happy that I finally got it out, and the response has been super positive. 

SP: Is the process different when you're writing for children? 

KW: My approach is pretty much to write from the perspective of the kid and kinda go in that direction. Never trying to speak down to them, trying to relate to them... 

SP: I think that comes through on the album. It definitely doesn't seem like it's patronizing at all. It's fun, and it's fun for everyone. 

KW: That was the hope behind it, at least. 

SP: How did you get involved with Yo Gabba Gabba!? 

KW: One of my good buddies who used to be a manager of mine is now the executive producer of the show, and they do so many shows all over the country, so there were lots of opportunities. I got lucky on this Pacific Northwest run. 

SP: So what can fans expect at the Yo Gabba Gabba! show, from you specifically, but also just in general? 

KW: Well, I am part of the Super Music Friends segment. The show runs kinda like two Yo Gabba Gabba! TV shows. I get wheeled out there about 15 minutes into the first set, and I play my one song for four minutes, then I get wheeled off, and then I'm done. The show runs like a science project. It's like a very well thought-out machine that's totally dialed-in, like second nature. The thing is, you watch the reaction of the kids in the audience, and they are totally entertained and enthralled. It's like a rock show for the kids. The kids can rush the stage if they want ... it's really interesting. 

SP: So then who's the tougher crowd, the auditorium full of amped-up 6-year-olds or the club full of liquored-up adults? 

KW: Well, you know the thing that I do with Yo Gabba Gabba! is only four minutes ... If I was up there for a whole hour with the kids and stuff, I'd say that would be way more difficult. I'm only up there for four minutes, and I'm doing a lot of intricate looping where I record different percussion instruments and loop it right there in front of the audience, and hopefully I can keep ’em entertained for a few minutes, which is all I have. 

SP: Have you ever been to Sacramento before? 

KW: I did ... I was thrown on this bill a long time ago, it was probably ’97 or ’98. I was first of like four acts at this little club ... I don't remember the name, but I haven't been back since. I play a lot all around California, some places close to Sacramento, but I haven't had the chance to do a show recently in Sacramento, and I'm looking forward to it. 

SP: We're very glad to have you. We feel like we're sometimes overlooked up here, but it's a really good music town. 

KW: Well good, I'm looking forward to it. It's kind of exciting to go back to a place I haven't been. When I played before, I might as well not have played. There were probably a dozen people in the room, and there were three or four other bands ... it was bizarre. 

SP: After you're done with the kiddies and Yo Gabba Gabba! in the afternoon, you're doing a show for the adults at Harlow’s. What can we expect there? 

KW: Well, you can expect a show that's deeply rooted in solo acoustic guitar and singing, and then there's also lots of dance grooves and songs that you have heard before, possibly done in a different way. You can expect new original songs as well as songs off my records. And you can hopefully expect young and hungry hairy people bumping into each other, singing, dancing and having fun. 

SP: Sounds good to me … Would you accept a request to play "Mama Tooted" at the Harlow's show? 

KW: (Laughs) You know, I try to keep the two worlds separated. If you yell it to where people can actually hear you yell it ... maybe I'll dedicate a segment of the show to requests and maybe, just maybe, I'll get to play that one. 

SP: You're teaming up with Conscience Alliance for a Holiday Meal Drive. Did you want to speak on that at all? 

KW: The Conscience Alliance people are great, great people. They are definitely into the music, they go to the music that they like. They feed hungry people in rural areas, they do a lot of work on Indian reservations and places like that. Now that the holidays are rolling around, they do the whole Thanksgiving dinner for many people too. It's a really great grassroots type of organization that does a lot of good for a lot of people. 

SP: I've wondered about your song "Freeker by the Speaker." Was this inspired by one particular freeker, or is it an amalgam of several?

KW: Yeah, I think that was just from being on stage with my eyes open and observing what was going on in the audience. I can't really do that that often ’cause there could be some kind of drama ensuing in the audience, and I have to memorize lyrics and chords and whatnot. A lot of times I have to keep my eyes closed to focus on what I'm doing, not get caught up on what’s happening up front. I would say it's the culmination of the stereotypical young rave kid coming to a show. In the late '90s and the early 2000s when the raves weren't happening and going on, we'd get some of those kids at our shows and that's kinda where that song came from. 

SP: Are you still doing Keller’s Cellar? 

KW: Uh-huh. We've done about 158 episodes, and I think I'm on in about 45 cities. It's a great hobby, its a very expensive hobby, but at the same time it's really so fun to make. I do put a lot of time into each episode, and I get to be very self-indulgent when it comes to the music. I don't play anything ’cause I'm trying to push somebody. People send me stuff all the time, but I play the stuff that I want to play and I that I want to hear, which is really, really fun to do. 

SP: You got back together with String Cheese Incident over Halloween. How did that go, and is that something that we can maybe hope for a bit more of in the future? 

KW: No. String Cheese, they did 11 shows this year, and I think they were pretty satisfied with that. I think they might do somewhat of the same thing next year, too. We've done a lot of shows together. I guess it was probably '97, '98, '99 ... I probably did 30-plus shows with them a year, you know, opening for them, not really me being in the band. I think they are kinda moving on into new territory. They don't want to become, whats the word? Predictable. They don't want to become predictable. I'm grateful to be able to hang out with those guys whenever I can. Nothing is really on the books as far as us playing together. I think the way that they're doing it now is fantastic … They sold an amazing amount of tickets to the Hampton Coliseum for those two nights. I think it's a super-positive direction that they’re going – not playing all the time so the shows that they do play are really special. 

SP: Is there anything else coming up that you wanted to talk about?

KW: No, I think you did great man. 

SP: Thanks a lot. Are you in Eugene right now? 

KW: I am...

SP: That's where I went to college. I don't know if you've eaten yet, but Alexander’s Great Falafel on 13th right next to campus is the best falafel sandwich I've ever had in my life. I have dreams about it. Also, if you want to grab a beer after the show, John Henry's on Broadway is a great spot. 

KW: All right, John Henry's. I'll check it out, thanks so much.

Keller Williams will be appearing:

at 3 and 7 p.m. Thursday with Yo Gabba Gabba! at Memorial Auditorium, 1515 J St. Tickets are $26, $36 and $46 and can be purchased by calling (916) 808-5181. 

at 9 p.m. Thursday for a solo show at Harlow's, 2708 J St. Tickets are $22.50 and can be purchased by calling (916)441-4693. 

If you come to the Harlow's show, be sure to say hi.  I'll be one of the (not so) young and hungry hairy people bumping into each other, singing, dancing and having fun.