The 50 or so that gathered at Tambaleo Wednesday night (3/15) to catch the showcase of fresh-faced Tyler Hilton [ tickets ] barely put a dent in the space available, but that wasn't indicative of his talent.

The California native, already a veteran guitar player having started as a young child, performed his late-night acoustic set with the casualness of an old friend.

It was hard to tell if the attentive crowd of mostly young women stood front-and-center to swoon over the coiffed, wholesome-looking singer or to capture every word of his songs, but either way, his fans were dedicated. When Hilton and bandmate Jaco Caraco started in on "Rolling Home," from his 2004 release "The Tracks of Tyler Hilton," the intimate audience cheered and sung along to the optimistic pop song.

Hilton's flexibility and knowledge of music came through with his graceful cover of Patty Griffin's "Long Ride Home," a dead-on rendition of Bob Dylan's brutally honest "It Ain't Me, Babe," and an adapted version of John Waite's romantic "Missing You."

This 22-year-old singer/songwriter is living the good life. His voice, reminiscent of John Mayer but with more of an edge, has not only served him well musically but also propelled his acting career. Does Hilton look familiar? He portrayed a young Elvis Presley in the runaway Johnny Cash tribute "Walk the Line" and has a recurring role on the WB's "One Tree Hill." What else could a talented young man ask for?