Oliver "Tuku" Mtukudzi has to be one of the hardest working men in the business, far outshining James Brown or Ron Jeremy (OK, that’s a different business altogether, but you get the drift).

The 52-year-old musician has released nearly 50 albums, turning them out at the fanatical rate of approximately two per year, and is considered a national treasure of Zimbabwe, not only for his talent but for his tireless efforts toward educating and uplifting the population of a troubled nation.

Musically, he’s considered a revolutionary force in African music, originator of what has come to be known as Tuku style, a combination of a variety of traditional elements like mbira, South African mbaqanga style and the popular Zimbabwean jiti style.

From the start, it seems that every project he touched turned to gold, quite literally. He joined the group Wagon Wheels in 1977 and the first single they released, "Dzandimomotera," went gold, as did the first solo album he released, having left the band and taken a number of its musicians with him to form the Black Spirits, his most enduring back-up band.

In the United States, he’s performed with Bonnie Raitt (she covered Tuku’s song "Hear Me Lord" on her album "Silver Lining" and has called him a cross between Otis Redding and reggae man Toots Hibbert) and toured with Taj Mahal. He’s also appeared on "The David Letterman Show" and at the festivals like the New Orleans Jazzfest.

With his intense work schedule — constantly performing, recording and producing — he doesn’t come to the States very often, but is currently touring to support "Nhava," his debut on Cleveland- based Heads Up label’s Africa Series, and will be at The Temple Club, 500 E. Grand River Ave in Lansing’s Old Town, at 8 p.m. Tuesday, June 21. Tickets are $16.50 in advance, available at the venue or online at www.templeclub.com. call (517) 316-0400 for more information.