As a precocious eight-year-old, Brody Buster first stepped on a professional stage as a harmonica player with enough God-given talent for B.B. King to eventually dub him “one of the greatest harmonica players of our time despite his age.”

Now 23 years old, Buster’s bluesman roots and progression as a musician will come together tonight at 9 when the Brody Buster Band and 1950 DA, in which Buster plays guitar, perform back-to-back shows at Fatso’s.

Unlike the traditional blues he grew up with, Buster said 1950 DA, formerly the Diamond Hearts Club, had a sound similar to “Black Sabbath, but heavier.” Mark Hennessy, Kansas City, Kan., graduate teaching assistant, handles vocals for the band while Justin Parr and Mike Ratzlaff plug in on drums and bass.

Buster said he was interested in pursuing musical opportunities outside the blues but didn’t have the band needed to produce the sound he wanted.

“I had a bunch of songs already,” Buster said. “I just couldn’t pull them off in the blues band because the musicians aren’t the right musicians, and the songs are too hard for me to sing and play at the same time. I can’t sing that kind of music.”

Hennessy, the band’s lead singer, said it was interesting to see how Buster’s blues training transferred over to his sound with 1950 DA.

“It’s really interesting to watch him kind of wrangle this traditional blues tone and watch how he plays with heavy rock,” Hennessy, who met Buster when they were neighbors in East Lawrence, said.

Though he has no formal musical training, Buster is the resident songwriter for 1950 DA and the Brody Buster Band. He said he just allowed music to come to him rather than attempt to blindly find inspiration.

Buster said he started out playing keyboard in the Diamond Hearts Club, but after both guitar players left the band he made the move to guitar. The change has produced dividends, allowing 1950 DA to “solidify” its sound, said Hennessy.

After the change, Hennessy said Buster began writing songs for 1950 DA because he had the musical background and talent necessary to fit the band’s needs.

“If you’re a lobster and it comes time to arm-wrestle, you are going to put the big claw out there,” Hennessy said.

Despite Buster’s lengthy musical background, that includes playing with musicians such as Quincy Jones, Isaac Hayes, Chaka Khan, Phil Collins, Keb’ Mo’, Richie Havens and Melvin Taylor, Hennessy said Buster was just like any other musician.

“He doesn’t emit a glow,” Hennessy said. “And he’s not always the easiest guy to be around. He fucks up just like anyone else, but the things he brings to practice for me are he plays a real mean guitar, he’s my buddy and I like shooting the shit with him.”

Buster has been a loyal member of the Lawrence music scene since moving to the area from California when he was in high school. He said although it continued to get more difficult to make a living in music as clubs opt for DJs over live acts, he enjoyed starting over musically after the “blur” that was his childhood.

“This is round two,” Buster said. “I’ve already hit the top then completely vanished. Now I’m on round two, and round two right now is going pretty fucking good.”

­­— Edited by Patrick De Oliveira