Area reminds him of home

Batstone's drummer at the time was a fan of Burke's playing, the two got talking and Batstone ended up traveling to Burke's home in the Hudson Valley to work with him on music.

Batstone has grown to love the Hudson Valley, and not just because it reminds him of the Ottawa Valley near his home that surrounds the Ottawa River.

"The thing I love about the Hudson Valley is the wealth of artistic people there," he said. "It's a great environment to work in."

Batstone plans on working in the Hudson Valley through the coming months, performing shows at regional venues. As he will do Saturday in Rhinebeck, Batstone in upcoming shows is likely to showcase his yearning voice, conversational lyrics and rhythms that fall on the ears like a soft rain.

"I was a fan when I first heard his songs," said Paul Antonell, who owns Clubhouse and mixed, recorded and co-produced "Love That Shine," and has in the past worked with Natalie Merchant and Rusted Root. "He had really great songs and he really impressed me as an artist."

Batstone's musical career began at age 6, when he started playing the piano. Then he took up the violin and clarinet before picking up a guitar for the first time in his last year of high school.

"I started writing songs when I was 17," he said. "And I just never stopped."