Martin Sexton could never be accused of being an artist who does not appreciate what he has.

The singer-songwriter believes he has been blessed with the gift of music and he knows what such blessings entail.

"I wouldn't be doing justice to my gift if I wasn't sharing it," he says. "Sharing it means getting these thoughts out, whatever they might be -- expressions of faith or hope or gratitude."

He believes that it is still possible to communicate feelings and ideas with music "that you can't get out in any other way anymore in this society."

Music provides a channel, he says, "to get my feelings, my thoughts, outside of myself. I think I probably would go crazy if everything had to stay inside of my head and heart."

The Syracuse native who lives in Massachusetts has forged a solid career, winning critical acclaim for the manner in which he expresses those feelings.

His strengths, he suggests, are found in his ability to convey emotion to an audience, "and my ability to give a listener a sense of participation in the music."

"I feel I'm good at achieving a certain connection with the listener and having them identify with me, and vice versa," he adds.

That relationship is felt in "Solo," a live CD released Oct. 14, chronicling a series of recent unaccompanied live appearances across the country.

The CD celebrates his ability to make a familiar song his own -- with such covers as Prince's "Purple Rain," Ray Charles' "Hard Times" and The Beatles' "With A Little Help From My Friends," along with some rarities.

The record also includes two bonus band tracks and a voucher redeemable for a free song download.

The album follows his critically praised 2007 "Seeds" CD. Rolling Stone lauded Sexton's "outstanding taste in songwriting, as well as a soul-marinated voice that can easily be compared to the likes of a young Steve Winwood or Van Morrison."

Timothy Dwenger, writing in Marquee magazine this summer, notes that while his introspective lyrics and intricate song structure has won him recognition of critics and fans alike, it is his delivery that truly sets him apart from other artists. "Sexton sings from his heart and bares his soul onstage," Dwenger observes. "He is an inspiring performer whose energy and passion are channeled through his voice."

No less than John Mayer calls Sexton "the best live performer I've ever seen."

His training ground -- the streets and subways of Boston in the 1990s -- forced him to focus. "I learned how to capture an audience within one song," he recalls of his busking days. "It was pretty essential because when you play on the subway and out on the street corner the attention span of people tends to be about five minutes unless you can grab them."

A lot of his busking was done in Harvard Square. "It was fun. I did 20 minute sets," he recalls.

Growing up in Syracuse was formative too. "It means that I have a certain appreciation for every kind of everything, whether music or food," Sexton says. "God bless Syracuse, but there was not a lot there. I think the lack of rootsy music or all that sort of music gave me an appetite for it. Once I heard something I liked I would gravitate toward it."

He learned blues off Led Zeppelin records and learned Billie Holliday off a commercial. "I learned about Cab Calloway through the Blues Brothers' movie. I tend to really appreciate that music because I didn't get it," he explains. "It's not like I grew up in a honky tonk and ate chitlins and gravy every night."

Sexton's major label debut in the late '90s ("The American" CD) found him exploring his and our spiritual dynamics, whether or not we consider ourselves "religious."

"I was raised Irish Catholic, but that doesn't have a lot to do with my spiritual roundedness these days," he said then. "I'm not religious (in the sense of embracing organized religion), but I feel spiritual."

Although decidedly a secular project, "The American" serves as a reminder that a person's spirituality cannot be separated from the rest of his or her life.

Sexton sometimes uses his music to work out some of those universal questions, as he did in "My Maria," a song on "The American."

It is about finding the grace that he feels was given to him. "Even though I was a trouble-making teenager and sort of laughed in the face of (organized) religion, there still was grace, and grace was provided for me to get my life together," he says.

He used that strength in many ways, expressing his fierce independence in launching his own label, Kitchen Table Records, in 2002, with his first live double-CD set, "Live Wide Open."

And he began to share his passion for the environment and keeping it healthy. After watching Al Gore's award-winning film, "An Inconvenient Truth,” he said, "I feel a sense of responsibility to use my art as a vehicle to carry a message."

He launched a "green" tour supporting the release of the "Seeds" album, including traveling in a bio-diesel bus, and formed relationships with several eco-conscious sponsors.

It's quite realistic to be environmentally conscious while touring, he assures. He is on record as saying, "It's not painful at all, plus it feels good."

Touring "green" includes using bio-diesel fuel, recyclable bottles and plastic wear, emphasizing organic food and selling tour apparel that is made of organic cotton, he explains.

The artist continues to partner with CLIF Bar GreenNotes, an initiative that provides touring musicians with support and know-how to stay environmentally friendly on the road. (For more information, log on to: clifgreennotes.com).

Sexton recently contributed to "Protect the Places We Play," an iTunes exclusive charity compilation that includes tracks by Michael Franti & Spearhead, Gomez and Brett Dennen, among other artists.

For Martin Sexton, it's all about being an artist who appreciates what you have been given.