Vance Gilbert's middle name should be "acoustic."

Not only has this singer-songwriter been attached to his guitar for 20 years, but he has remained a stalwart of the American folk scene for most of his career.

"I exploded," Gilbert said. "I started 20 years ago doing open mic nights, now I'm here."

Gilbert will share his acoustic tunes at the next installment of the Acoustic Brew Concert Series at 7:30 Saturday night in 120 Outreach Building at Innovation Park. Joining him on the bill will be fellow singer-songwriter Dan LaVoie, one of the few touring musicians who has mastered the intricacies of the harp guitar.

Despite Gilbert's humble beginnings playing open mic nights around Boston, he quickly garnered acclaim as a leader of the folk artists of his generation.

He remembers watching Tom Paxton play a "humblingly wonderful set," and then going up to him afterward to reiterate all that Paxton had done as a prominent folk artist for the genre. That is when Paxton bestowed an honor upon Gilbert.

"He said, 'Folk music is now in good hands,' " Gilbert said. "It was just really warm to me. Here I am now as one holding the torch, and now it's my job to see young singer-songwriters and let them know ... they're telling a mighty story and how important that is."

LaVoie said he's been a fan of Gilbert's music ever since the first time he saw him perform, adding Gilbert "blew his mind."

"The guy is probably one of the most amazing performers, period," LaVoie said, adding he can attest to being an acclaimed artist, holding a position as one of about a dozen performers in the world who use the harp guitar as their instrument of choice.

"We're kind of a rare breed," he said.

He said that ever since he heard this acoustic instrument -- a guitar with an extension piece for added base strings -- he knew it was "his calling" to master it.

"It's kind of a thing where I just really believe in the instrument. There's something magical about it that I can't put my finger on," he said. "But that's why I do it."

Where LaVoie uses distinct instrumentation, Gilbert makes folk rock his own by drawing from his early experience as a jazz artist.

"Jazz was the type of singing and sound I liked," he said. "So, I studied up."

Gilbert also highlights the theme of race in his music and stage show. He said at any given show, about 90 percent of his audience will be white, an interesting dynamic for a black musician. He said he brings up the issue of race to "keep people thinking."

"I don't think of myself as a one-trick pony trying to heal the world," he said. "I just do it in small doses."

Although Gilbert will turn 50 in October, people shouldn't assume he is not keeping up with the times.

Despite all of the hardships that come for artists trying to promote original music, especially with the current state of the economy, Gilbert said he can see himself continuing his career for years to come.

"I'll be out there for another 20 years rocking," he said. "You know, why not?"