According to Justin Jones, frontman of D.C.-based Justin Jones and the Driving Rain, it took him a little while to find his sound.

Today, his third and latest album, ” … and I am the song of the drunkards,” resonates with echoes of Nick Drake and the Allman Brothers. In his youth however, Jones was drawn in another direction entirely.

“I listened to rap when I was in high school, just like everyone else did in the early 90s,” Jones says. “But I started writing tunes that were kind of more country, blues funky stuff and I kind of got more into that after I realized that was how I write.”

It’s in that musical self-exploration that Jones, previously nominated for a Washington Area Music Award, has found the sweet spot, particularly on tracks like “Let’s Stay Together” and “Lie To Me,” off the new album.

Jones and the Driving Rain perform at IOTA Club & Cafe Aug. 30 at 9:30 p.m. Tickets are $10.

• For more on Justin Jones, visit justin-jones.com.