Jerry Davenport will be featured on the Meals on Madison Stage in downtown Port Clinton on Friday, July 1 from 5-6:30 p.m. at Madison and Second and Streets. The popular local balladeer is in his 7th decade living on Catawba Island.

After stints living in Korea and then living in Columbus while pursuing his BFA degree from Ohio State University, he returned to begin a life on Catawba. He used his talents to start a sign business and, with his wife Cathy, raised daughters Danielle and Jerianne.

At the age of 50, he began writing and performing songs about his experiences living around Northwest Ohio and the Lake Erie Islands. Inspired early on listening to AM radio CKLW from across the lake in Detroit, then later FM rock and roll from Toledo, he finally found a release by writing his own folk/rock songs.

Davenport’s songs are written in the same vein as the revered Lake Erie legend Pat Dailey. Some historical, some hysterical. He plays guitar with harmonica accompaniment.