Keaton Simons, despite the success of "Currently," is currently unsigned.

Courtesy of Keaton Simons

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Be sure to wish Keaton Simons a happy birthday if you are stopping through Club Congress tonight.

The singer/songwriter turns 28 today and is making a special trip to the Old Pueblo to celebrate with his fans.

"To be able to do this show on my birthday is so cool," said Simons in a recent phone interview. "I always get such an amazing response and a warm welcome from everybody in Tucson."

The singer — who made a splash in town when the Mountain (92.9-FM) put his song "Currently" into heavy rotation — says he has some new material lined up for tonight's show, but the Los Angeles-based musician brings no new formal, full-length recordings with him.

Simons is still without major label backing and has been that way since leaving Maverick Records in 2005. The two parted ways after Maverick greenlit Simons' five-song EP but shelved the idea of a full-length release.

"When I did that EP on Maverick, I got tremendous attention for 'Currently,' but they never pushed it or gave it any real marketing," Simons said. "They gave me the impression that they were using that to get things warmed up for the record, which they never did."

Simons eventually released the album, "Exes and Whys" — a double CD full of smooth vocals and soulful guitar — independently through online services like CD Baby and iTunes.

"Late night television appearances, radio airplay, film placement," Simons said. "The thing that does more for musicians than all of that are things like MySpace and iTunes. The response has been gigantic online."

The performer has so much faith in the medium that he plans to go through the same process with his next independent EP, due out later this year.

"I'm doing this release specifically for iTunes," he said. "I love records and CDs, but that's not where we are headed. People still really like that, but people also really love getting stuff digitally. It's easy. I'm all about staying ahead of the curve, more about acceptance than resistance.

"I'm honing back in and focusing for this one (EP). I want to make a succinct record but have all the songs be driving and rich, not just something to be there in the meantime."

Despite Simons' unquestionable success as an independent, the young musician is still actively seeking out a label deal.

"There is definitely a chance that I'll end up at another major," Simons said. "But I'm doing as much as I possibly can right now without one."