Guitarist Tony Lee was taking requests from the crowd on Saturday afternoon. He even played a very loose and fun version of the perennial crowd-pleaser "Margaritaville," occasionally asking listeners for help with the lyrics.

Fittingly, Tony was strumming his six-string - a fine Martin, in this case - on the porch (or patio, if you will) of La Casa Narcisi Winery in Gibsonia, his backdrop a sunsplashed canopy of green, his audience a group of appreciative wine connoisseurs.

But despite his spirited interpretations of artists the Beatles, the Stones, Stevie Ray and, of course, Mr. Buffett, Tony Lee prefers to play Tony Lee. And he has the original material to pull it off.

Saturday's performance featured acoustic versions of tunes from "Pocket," his new album that will be featured at a CD release party on Thursday, Oct. 6, at Club Cafe on the South Side. (Special guests are Bill Toms and J.D. Strum.) Tony will be playing with a full band for that show, just as he does on the disc.

Some of the highlights of the acoustic show included "Whisper," which provides a good introduction to his style as a rootsy rocker in the tradition of Springsteen and Mellencamp; "Last Goodbye," the song he calls his favorite on the disc; and "Surrogate Man," one of those compositions inspired by a breakup (and my own favorite on the disc).

And a definite high point was a song that he has yet to record, "Neve Campbell," a heartfelt, affecting and very convincing lament of a man with unrequited longing for a certain beauty of the big and small screens.

One of his cover versions is worth mentioning as a great song I'd never heard of before: "All I Can Do Is Write About It," which appeared as a previously unreleased song on a Lynyrd Skynyrd boxed set.

Tony puts on a good acoustic show, and if his CD is any indicator, he does well with a band, too. His voice is full of emotion with a touch of grit that lends itself to both harder and softer numbers.

As I mentioned, my favorite tune on "Pocket" is "Surrogate Man." The arrangement brings the guitar playing of Jason Sichi (of Mojo Filter) to the forefront, with a smoking pedal-driven lead reminiscent of work by Ian Moore, a pretty good axeman from Texas.

The entire disc is very listenable, features some catchy chord changes and well-constructed lyrics, putting Tony's talents as both songwriter and performer on full display.

Check out Tony's release party and remember: Anyone can play "Margaritaville." But if you see Tony Lee, you're going to want to hear him play Tony Lee.

PHOTO: Tony Lee enjoys himself on a perfect afternoon at La Casa Narcisi.