Martyn Joseph’s 25 year career has embraced some notable achievements including five Top 50 UK chart positions, with such songs as 'Dolphins Make Me Cry', 'Working Mother' and 'Let's Talk About It In The Morning', and appearances and tours with, amongst others, Suzanne Vega, Marc Cohn, Joan Armatrading, Clannad, Chris De Burgh, Jools Holland, Art Garfunkel, and even, Celine Dion.


However, for Martyn, these various accomplishments, satisfying though they are, count as just part of the process, the necessary presentation aspect. As he says, 'Really what I do is try and write songs that might make a difference'.


His touring work and appearances over the years, on both sides of the Atlantic, have helped to establish this gifted and gracious Welshman as one of the foremost singer/songwriters of his generation.


As Janis Ian said of sharing a stage with Martyn: 'I loved working with him. I loved listening to him, I'd love to work with him again, anytime, anyplace'.


Martyn's particular strength is in the lyrical narrative of his songs, be they contemporary protests against injustice and inhumanity, a musical psalm to the fulfillment and fragilities of love, or a piercing précis of social history, 'it's the song that can soothe, explain, and even in a small way save us'.


In this manner he carries on in the tradition of the six string balladeer as both catalyst and interpreter of our raddled and rewarding times, our personal and communal stories sung out loud in the spirit of Woody Guthrie, Ewan MacColl, Hank Williams and Bruce Springsteen.


That tradition, and sound, that thankfully still emerges from The Hallowed Hobo's Hall of Fame.


Across a 15 year cycle of albums from the Sony days of 'Being There' to his most recent album 'Evolved, Martyn's song catalogue is an awesomely impressive archive of our times, our tribulations, our wonder and our wounds.


Amongst the considerable collection of positive reviews of Martyn's recording and live work, the two regularly recurring words describing, in particular, his performances are 'passion' and 'humour'.


One observer after seeing Martyn in concert likened the experience and content to 'the beautiful business of being alive with all its jokes, absurdity and sadness, seared by music for the heart and head'. When you encounter Martyn Joseph, you'll hear likewise...


Martyn Joseph is at Caistor Sports and Social Club on Friday September 25. Tickets are £14 and available from Neil on 01472851795 or mobile 07540116967