When first hearing the music of Austin, Texas, singer/songwriter Josh Grider, you’ll hear his musical backstory. The country music upbringing hearing tunes by Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson and Roger Miller. The high school days playing with a jazz combo in Las Crusas, N.M. Grider’s admiration for the Dave Matthews Band and the formal musical education at Baylor University in Waco, Texas. “I think when I started writing, sort of the sum of all my influences would come out in the songs I wrote,” Grider says. With the Josh Grider Trio — featuring Grider, Chris Grady (upright bass/vocals) and Jeff Botta (drums/vocals) — you’ll hear an infectious mix of soulful jazz, traditional country lyrics and some occasional hard-driving country rock peppered with “Bill Monroe-meets-Beach-Boys” vocal harmonies. “I just got tired of playing whatever cowboy chords... my ear wanted to hear some more interesting stuff so I just naturally went that way,” Grider says. “We’re just carrying on whatever traditions that were set before us. I think we’re a pretty unique twist.” The Josh Grider Trio will perform with True North at 9 p.m. June 13 at Room 107. For more information on the Josh Grider Trio, go to www.joshgrider.com.