On Thursday night, for over an hour, Greg Schroeder shined brighter than every single neon sign in Adair’s Saloon in Deep Ellum – if you could see the baubles and bulbs in the bar you’d understand just how impressive a feat that is.

I spoke with Schroeder before his set and we sat outside the bar chain smoking cigarettes, trying hard not to be distracted by a man next door dressed like a poor leprechaun playing the accordion. As for the plan that night, Schroeder wasn’t concerned.

“I don’t ever really make a set list. When I’m playing by myself, I don’t need to make a set list. I kind of have an idea of what I’m going to play and then I just see how it’s going to play out – what the audience is digging, what they’re not, whatever. Plus I’m lazy,” Schroeder said.

The 39-year-old Riesel, Texas native has been professionally lighting up stages for 13 years, donning his signature cap and gruff facial hair. With a voice that smacks of Tom Waits and a mean handle on the guitar, Schroeder gets to work. Even in a relatively empty bar – maybe 20 people at the most – Schroeder puts on a show and gets you to feel the emotion in his songs about love, loss and change.

Several of the songs Schroeder played Thursday night were off the artist’s 2011 album “Schroeder” – like “Tattoo a heart on my sleeve” featuring a hands-free harmonica a la Bob Dylan and my personal favorite “I’ll wait.”

In between songs Schroeder joked around with the audience and complimented the bar’s whiskey – calling it the fruit of the gods and going on a tangent about its health benefits. Schroeder even cracked a few jokes about Sochi – pointing out the figure skaters on screen at the bar.

Beyond the jokes and the liquor, however, Schroeder’s great passion is the music, and for now it looks like it’s going to stay that way.

“I’m doing what I want to do,” Schroeder said. “I’m doing what I love to do.”