concert preview   JOHN BATDORF September 13, 2008 For information about pre-paid reservations please email urbancampfires@swbell.net with John Batdorf in the subject line. “More than three decades after putting an end to Batdorf and Rodney, John Batdorf and Mark Rodney are singing together again -- and it's great. Just like old times. Except with a maturity of songwriting on Batdorf's part that imbues this set with warmth and depth.” -The Sacramento Bee Even though this show has been booked and confirmed since April, it is still hard to imagine that it’s real. Batdorf and Rodney were as much a part of my friends’ and my life in the mid to late 70’s as Seals and Crofts, Crosby, Stills and Nash, Brewer and Shipley and all those other great folk/rock groups. They made every road trip with us to the beach or the lake or to Camp Flaming Weenie. John and I even had a Batdorf and Rodney song played at our wedding! So, along came the 80’s and folk/rock made way –briefly- for new wave and jazz in my record collection. I sort of lost track of Batdorf and Rodney until a year or so ago when they started to get frequent airplay on XM radio. Then, John Batdorf, and occasionally Batdorf and Rodney, started showing up on house concert listings. Would they even consider playing in San Antonio? You never know until you ask, right?  My next question, after I got over being totally star struck was, “Am I the only one who remembers Batdorf and Rodney?” Apparently not. We started to get excited phone calls and emails the minute the show was posted on the Internet. Our new friend Jerry, wrote, “Not only do I love Batdorf & Rodney's music, but I learned how to play guitar with their music. They were the most influential acoustic group in my early years of learning to play the guitar and I am so looking forward to hearing John and Mark!” And get this… he played the same Batdorf and Rodney song at his wedding that John and I used at our wedding! Cosmic, huh?  For now, we are listing this show as Batdorf and Rodney but it might end up being a solo John Batdorf show. Mark Rodney has some health issues recently that make it hard to go on the road. We hope to know by mid August. Here’s the quick version of John Batdorf’s bio. There is a bunch more information at his web site along with song samples and some great old photos from the 70’s.       Timeline and Discography 1967 – At age 15, John’s group, The Luv’d Ones, opened for The Young Rascals   1971 - Batdorf and Rodney "Off The Shelf" (Atlantic Records)   1972 - Batdorf and Rodney "Batdorf and Rodney" (Asylum Records)   1975 - Batdorf and Rodney "Life Is You" (Arista)   1976 - Silver "Silver" The album had the minor hit “Wham Bam.” Simultaneously, John got a lot of session work doing vocals with acts like Eric Anderson, Berlin, Rod Stewart, Donna Summer, David Lee Roth, Harry Connick, Jr., Michael McLean and many others. The 80’s – John was a staff songwriter composing tunes for Kim Carnes, America, England Dan and others. As well as being a studio singer on tons of jingles, movies and TV shows, few people know that John Batdorf and Max Gronenthal are the backing vocalists on Mötley Crüe's 1985 sessions for Theatre of Pain.1992 - Batdorf and (Michael) McLean "Look Inside" 1996 to 2002  - John worked as the composer for the hit TV series “Touched by an Angel” and “Promised Land”.  1997 - Batdorf and McLean "Don’t You Know" 2002 – John composed the musical score to PAX TV's film, “Book of Days.” 2005 - Batdorf and (James Lee) Stanley "All Wood and Stones" an acoustic tribute to the music of The Rolling Stones 2005 - John Batdorf "Side One" EP 2007 - John Batdorf "Home Again" 2008 - Batdorf and Rodney "Still Burnin’ “ teams John Batdorf up with Mark Rodney again. The duo recorded a live show at XM Radio Studios in Washington D.C., revisiting many of their great songs from the '70s plus two brand new studio songs: "The Summer of Love" and "Four Days Runnin'". Currently a "Spotlight Artist" on Airplay Direct, John Batdorf continues to attract excellent critical (and fan!) attention to his music from all quarters. Various XM, Radio365, Pandora, Last FM, and Clear Channel stations as well as many independent, mainstream, internet, and podcasting stations throughout the world are playing selections from Johns' entire career. You won’t want to miss this show whether you’re an old fan or a fan-to-be. We hope you’ll cook up a little something for the potluck, grab 5 or 10 of your closest friends, and join us for an evening of music that promises that comfortable, familiar feel of the late 60s and early 70's but with fresh new original songs to bring it all to the present. http://johnbatdorfmusic.com/  http://www.myspace.com/johnbatdorf         Concert proceeds benefit the performer.