TOM Russell, singer, songwriter, painter and essayist, focuses on the music at Pocklington Arts Centre tonight from 8pm.

Now 67, the Los Angeles-born Russell has recorded 35 albums, published five books and had songs recorded be Johnny Cash, Nanci Griffith, k.d. lang, Ramblin' Jack Elliott and a hundred more besides.

He was once described as being Johnny Cash, Jim Harrison and Charles Bukowski rolled into one, and in 2015 he released a 52-track folk opera on the West, The Rose Of Roscrae, reckoned to be maybe the most important Americana record of all time by UK Folk. That year too it was named folk album of the year by Mojo magazine and was hailed in top ten lists in two dozen publications, not least the Los Angeles Times.

This autumn, Proper Records launched Russell's latest work, Folk Hotel, which prompted a four-star review in The Press by Americana enthusiast Paul Rhodes.

He wrote: "Tom Russell is a master at the story telling song form (he is also an acclaimed author). While his style has changed little over the course of his 40-year career, he is prolific and is currently in a rich stream of form.

"Folk Hotel continues the Texan and prairie influences of recent releases and gives a strong favour of the American South West. Like the landscapes, most of the settings are sparse but skilfully contrived – this is music in service of the lyric.

"I’ll Never Leave These Horses is a touching song about ageing while Rise Again, Handsome Johnny laments JFK through a series of episodic flashes.

"The Last Time I Saw Hank is arguably the best song, more of a short story set to a fingerpicked guitar where the meaning hovers tantalisingly close but out of reach.

"The music can connect too; All On A Belfast Morning, aimed at Dylan Thomas (with a musical nod to Gerry Raffferty) has an anthemic quality, which is a rarity on this long album where the listener can drink in the passing words. An experience to be savoured."

Tom Russell plays Pocklington Arts Centre tonight (November 28) at 8pm. Tickets will be available on the door at £22.