Seventeen years ago, Rod Picott dropped his tool belt, picked up an acoustic guitar and released his first album, “Tiger Tom Dixon’s Blues.” The acclaimed debut put a nail in the coffin of his construction career, but ignited his second calling as a singer-songwriter.

Picott will take the stage at Lynwood’s Treehouse Café at 8 p.m. Wednesday, May 9. Reserved seats are $15 each for this 21-and-older show. Visit www.treehousebainbridge.com to learn more and purchase.

With the recent release of his new album, “Out Past The Wires,” Picott’s second career reveals itself in full flame. Picott’s eye for the revealing detail and sense of empathy has brought praise from music critics and fans alike.

Called “mesmerizing” by Rolling Stone, “seriously gifted” by No Depression and “a truly great songwriter” by 3rd Coast Music, Picott crafts songs “like Raymond Carver short stories” (Houston Chronicle).

Like much of Picott’s catalog, many of the songs on “Out Past The Wires” center around the lives of working people and the losses, defeats and small victories that can come hard won in a calloused world.