Tim O'Brien | Courtesy timobrien.net

Tim O’Brien is one of the busiest players in the roots/bluegrass world. He’s a founding member of legacy bluegrass act Hot Rize, with whom he played at Jefferson Center last year. He has recently worked on the latest CD from Dire Straits’ Mark Knopfler. He records and performs with Darrell Scott. And he recently was part of O’Brien Party of 7 — including his sister, singer Mollie O’Brien. The siblings and their children made a record paying homage to Roger Miller.

But the singer and multi-instrumentalist doesn’t need a band with him to make good music. On Friday at Kirk Avenue Music Hall, he’ll be playing solo. He enjoys the feeling.

“It is freeing,” he said of working alone onstage. “There’s a lot of responsibility goes with it, though. …… It’s a collaborative process with the audience, and if they want to try go somewhere, I’ll try to go there with ‘‘em, you know.

“It’s a little quieter and a little closer to the audience.”

Details: 8 p.m. Kirk Avenue Music Hall, Roanoke. $30. 540-589-0546, kirkavenuemusic.com

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