Portland, OR - John Batdorf, the legendary singer-songwriter solo artist and one half of folk-rock duo Batdorf & Rodney who was inducted into the Las Vegas Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, will release new unplugged album, “ Me and My Guitar ” this spring. Due to fan requests, Batdorf decided to go back into the studio with a whole new perspective of making an album that is rawer and less produced. Batdorf plans to record 18 previous recordings with a small accompaniment of acoustic guitar, bass, and Cajon. Titles such as Somewhere In The Night, Wham Bam, You Are A Song and several Batdorf and Rodney recordings will make an appearance on the album as well as two brand new songs in the same format but with a little more enhancement. “After all, it did start with ‘Me And My Guitar’ and 47 years later that’s what I intend on resurrecting” Batdorf says. 

You can catch Batdorf performing live from his studio on Concert Window January 13 at 8pm EST here .

Batdorf’s smash hit "Wham Bam Shang-A-Lang,” has been enjoying a 40-year renaissance as part of the 70s mixtape on the soundtrack, Guardians Of The Galaxy ll which is up for a Grammy nomination. In late 1975, Batdorf formed the band Silver, composed of Brent Mydland (later a member of the Grateful Dead), Harry Stinson, Tom Leadon and Greg Collier. The band released one album on Arista Records which included the nominated song. The soundtrack has received rave remarks as did the first Guardians of The Galaxy. The 60th Grammy Awards will air live from New York’s Madison Square Garden Jan. 28 on CBS.

Batdorf’s breakthrough moment came as a part of the folk-rock duo, Batdorf & Rodney, alongside acoustic guitar whiz and harmony partner Mark Rodney. John was the pair’s primary songwriter and singer, and his balmy musicality and tenderly uplifting lyrics fit right in alongside 1970s Laurel Canyon scene artists such as Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, Jackson Brown, the Eagles, and Joni Mitchell. Batdorf & Rodney had the distinction of being recorded by visionaries such as Ahmet Ertegun, David Geffen, and Clive Davis. The twosome played Carnegie Hall and toured extensively throughout the U.S. and Canada, sharing the stages with such esteemed artists as America, Seals and Crofts, Dan Fogelberg, Linda Ronstadt, Jackson Browne, Fleetwood Mac, The Doobie Brothers, Bread, The Youngbloods, Hall and Oats, Cheech and Chong, John Prine, Dave Mason, Kris Kristofferson, and many others. In its four-year run, Batdorf & Rodney released three albums. The group’s debut, Off The Shelf (Atlantic), was released when Batdorf was barely 19 years old.

In recent years, John has been prolific as an artist, reconvening Batdorf & Rodney for a pair of releases; releasing an epiphanic album of acoustic Rolling Stones music with James Lee Stanley titled All Wood and Stones ; and releasing six solo albums of new music since 2004 on his own imprint, BATMAC MUSIC. One powerful entry in John’s modern era work is his four releases with legendary Utah-based singer, composer, and filmmaker, Michael McLean. The two first started working together in 1991, and officially formed Batdorf & McLean in 1997. The duo launched a unique substance abuse survival platform, and released the CD Soundtrax2Recovery ( www.2recovery.org ) . Batdorf & McLean have crafted an empowering body of music to inspire and enlighten individuals making the profound journey back from dependency. Their appearances combine heartfelt real-life storytelling sprinkled in between their impactful catalog of tunes.
            

For Future Updates and the release of “ Me and My Guitar ” please visit: www.johnbatdorfmusic.com


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Michael Jensen and Nichole Peters
Jensen Communications
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