BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. – Even guitar heroes can be humble, shy and quiet.

Jonny Lang had never met Eric Clapton. And he wasn’t about to introduce himself now, even though the guitar god invited the young blues-rock star to perform at his Crossroads Guitar Festival in June.

“He walked right by me a few minutes ago backstage,” Lang said recently, sitting in Buddy Guy’s dressing room shortly before sharing the stage with Guy and the Rolling Stones’ Ron Wood at the third benefit for Clapton’s Crossroads rehab center in the Caribbean. (Lang appeared at the first fest in 2004 in Dallas at Clapton’s invitation.)

Lang didn’t want to impose on Clapton.

“There are just so many people around,” he said. “There are probably like a hundred musicians on this thing, and he’s got to make his rounds. You can’t force these things.”

At 29, he is the same old Jonny Lang, that same boyish-looking dude with the ripped jeans, spiky hair and well-worn T-shirt. Offstage, he remains gracious, soft-spoken and polite. But, 15 years into his career, Lang is at a crossroads: He split with his longtime Nashville manager last fall, he doesn’t have a record label for the album he’s recording, and his wife is seven months pregnant with their third child.

“I’ve written a ton of songs, trying to find a direction,” said Lang, who snared a Grammy for best rock gospel album for 2006’s “Turn Around,” his most recent studio effort. “It’s kind of one of those moments in my life when everything changes. It’s a little hard to stay motivated when you hit a little bit of a lull. But I think it’s good, man.”

One thing Lang is sure about is how he’s changed onstage.

“I’ve become a better listener, listening to the other musicians and trying to incorporate myself into the band as a whole rather than being just the front guy,” said the singer/guitarist.

One listen to Lang’s new concert CD, “Live at the Ryman” – recorded in 2008 and released this past spring on a one-album deal with Concord – makes it clear that his tendency to over-sing has dissipated.

“The adrenaline takes over, and it’s hard to reel that in sometimes,” he said. “But I’ve definitely become better with the restraint.”

Lang has managed to squeeze in some side projects, including the Experience Hendrix Tour this year with Joe Satriani, Ernie Isley and others. For Carlos Santana’s upcoming album of cover songs, Lang recorded vocals for Howlin’ Wolf’s “Ain’t Superstitious,” but Santana wasn’t in the studio with him.

Lang’s guitar can be heard on two tracks, “Crossroads” and “How Blue Can You Get,” on Cyndi Lauper’s “Memphis Blues.”

At Crossroads, Lang was with many of the greatest living guitarists. He was the youngest picker onstage, but he wasn’t intimidated.

“If there was a level of competition in my mind, I would be intimidated, but I don’t really think that way. It’s pretty much just about having fun and trying to help the audience have a good time.”

For the Crossroads finale of “Sweet Home Chicago,” all of the festival’s electric guitarists were expected to join in. Lang marched to the center of the stage, behind a seated B.B. King, and plugged his Fender Telecaster into an amplifier. Then he looked up: He was face to face with the elusive one.

Lang extended his hand. Finally, he got to meet Clapton – in front of 27,000 people and 20 other guitar stars.