A show you might check out on Saturday

Only Wednesday, but wanted to give a heads-up on this one.

Does the name John Batdorf ring a bell? How about Batdorf & Rodney from the days of 70's folk/rock? Though that recording duo is long over, John Batdorf has been making a living as a musician in the ensuing 30 years. Probably none of us were paying attention - I sure wasn't. But I recently encountered John via a post by music industry curmudgeon Bob Lefsetz and then coincidentally received an email from John (via a mutual connection) about his tour that will take him through Portland this week.

Though not among my favorite musical acts in those days (always sounded a little too close to CSN), they were certainly all over the airwaves. I know I played B&R on my college radio shows. And you can't mistake John's 70s radio-friendly singer/songwriter tenor. But now I've got his CD, Old Man Dreamin', and can't deny that it's good and I've been listening - and not just once or twice. The guy has something to say that resonates - particularly about growing older and the state of our culture - and does it in a most tuneful way.

Check out the Lefsetz post and John's site . . . then come out to Artichoke Music on Saturday evening. . . . 8 pm, $12