By: ERIC R. DANTON

It's hard to say at this point whether Albert Cummings is a builder who plays guitar or a guitarist who builds houses. Either way, Cummings has drawn notice for both.

The Williamston, Mass., native got a late start in the music business, mainly because he went into carpentry first, as per family tradition - his father, grandfather and great-grandfather were all builders. Cummings, 36, has played guitar since he was a teenager, though, and sitting in on a Chuck Berry tune at a friend's wedding when Cummings was 27 awakened his musical yearnings.

It wasn't long until he was blasting out blues licks with the support of Double Trouble, the vaunted rhythm section of blues god Stevie Ray Vaughan. Bassist Tommy Shannon offered to produce (and play on) Cummings' debut, last year's "From the Heart." Shannon also appears on the follow-up, "True to Yourself," which came out last month.

Cummings spends plenty of time on the road, and has opened for Buddy Guy, Susan Tedeschi, Sheryl Crow and B.B. King. Cummings performs Friday at Black-eyed Sally's, 350 Asylum St., Hartford. Admission is $6 for the 9:30 p.m. show. Information: 860-278-7427.

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