State College singer-songwriter Eric Himan wants to introduce his dad to Paul McCartney.

He knows it's a far-fetched goal, but it's what he sees as the ultimate way to repay his Beatles-obsessed father -- a former New York City jazz performer -- for introducing him to what he calls the old American musician dream. It's the same dream that has driven him to pursue a solo music career full-time since his graduation last May, and it's the same dream he's had since he began taking music seriously his freshman year.

"I feel like if I wasn't doing this, I'd feel like I was wasting my time with everything else," said Himan. "I guess that's when you know you're meant to be doing what you're doing."

What Himan is doing is trying to build up a name and a following, starting first on the local and regional level. He'll play at a block party tomorrow, followed by an in-store appearance at Mike's Music, 226 E. College Ave., at 2 p.m.

This comes following a recently completed tour of Pennsylvania colleges, and he's currently working on booking dates for a 40-stop fall tour that will include schools throughout the Mid-Atlantic States.

He's also hoping to release his third CD in June, and Himan said the new album will build upon the performer's unique voice and acoustic guitar sound while moving in a more mainstream, "poppier" direction.

"I feel like I've grown into it, and I feel like it's the next step," said Himan. "I want to expand my music."

Like his last two CD's -- Invincible and a self-titled album -- the new effort will be released on his own label, Thumbcrown Records, which is a joint venture that he began with friend Cassandra Buncie in 1999. Actually, it's a business, and a friendship, born out of a fire drill.

Well, almost. The two partners met when Himan was a freshman living on campus. Allegedly, he didn't exit his building during a fire drill, prompting a disciplinary meeting with Buncie, who was an Area coordinator for residence life at the time. Himan kept coming back, eventually bringing Buncie a demo, and the two built a bond on a mutual love for Ani Difranco.

"I never would have imagined that our friendship would grow to be as deep as it has been," Buncie said. "I never would have thought that the five minutes I saw him that day would turn into both of our futures."

Buncie was not only attracted to Himan's musical talent and his ability to reach out through his songs, but she was also pulled to his personality and inspired by his story. Himan spent the first part of his life in Florida, where he lost his mother at age four and saw his family's property destroyed by Hurricane Andrew in 1992. He later moved to Hawaii, and somewhere in between he picked up an acoustic guitar and started to express himself through music.

"That's certainly where a lot of stuff comes from, from my life experience," Himan said. "It's a very folk way of going about it."

That's because Himan is influenced by folk singers, especially female artists, and he cites Difranco and Tracy Chapman as his two major inspirations. He feels these female singer-songwriters come from a more emotional place, and that there's "just something about the female voice."

And while he gives credit to the music that has inspired him and does occasional covers, he's all about making his own music. That's why he generally avoids playing at the downtown bars -- he said it just isn't his scene -- and that's why the former lead singer of the now-defunct State College band Dunston Ashe decided to take a solo route after the group disbanded.

"I had different goals in line for myself," he said. "I didn't think going in that direction was most beneficial. I wanted to do a different kind of music."

It's the kind of music perfect for places like the Esspress'ery Coffee House in Pollock Commons, and he hopes it's the kind of music college students will embrace on his upcoming tour. In the meantime, he'll play at some Penn State on-campus events, like Late Night Penn State and summer orientation.

"I think people find a lot of comfort through his music," Buncie said. "He's the kind of writer and performer who likes to make that connection."