Tony Joe White

Photograph: Joshua Black Wilkins

Joe’s Pub; Wed, June 25

On the twenty-odd albums he’s released since his 1969 breakthrough hit, “Polk Salad Annie,” swamp-rock godfather Tony Joe White has maintained a fierce fidelity to the raw musical vision that put him on the map. While his earthy, eloquent compositions have been successfully covered by the likes of Elvis Presley, Dusty Springfield and Brook Benton, White’s own deep-grooved country-blues-funk renditions are the source of his iconic status. That body of work has established the Louisiana-bred singer-guitarist as an inspirational role model to roots-inclined younger artists, and the possessor of a enduring mystique that’s inspired such responses as the 2003 indie documentary Searching for Tony Joe.

Having stepped up his recording and touring activity during the past decade, White has continued to make authoritative, idiosyncratic music that’s extended and expanded his legacy. The new Deep Cuts (on the artist’s own Swamp label) marks a rare departure from his established sound, tricking out several of his vintage classics with an array of unlikely techno frills. But the temporary sonic makeover doesn’t dilute the organic swagger of White’s rolling grooves or the primal punch of his languid foghorn baritone.

The immediacy of White’s recordings extends to his minimalist live performances, which pare his eclectic fusion down to its essential elements. Accompanied only by a drummer and keyboardist, the 65-year-old artist (who’ll also play at Borders in Columbus Circle on June 27) still cuts a distinctly imposing figure, exploring his rich, gem-filled songbook with urgency and gravity.