Sometimes it's hard to even remember Big Al Anderson was ever a member of NRBQ — the distinctive and essential American rock band he co-founded and played with from 1971 to the early '90s. At that point, Anderson shifted his base of operations to Nashville and began writing country songs.

That's where the NRBQ association started to get relatively obscure: Anderson composed hits for headliners Tim McGraw, Vince Gill, Diamond Rio, Zac Brown, Montgomery Gentry, LeAnne Rimes and Rascal Flatts — as well as non-country artists like Sheryl Crow, the Allman Brothers, Jimmy Buffett, Harry Connick Jr. and Boz Scaggs.

The dude can pen tunes, in other words.

He's also a fine singer and an excellent guitarist and, along the way, Anderson has released six solo albums. Unfortunately, there won't be enough time Thursday, when he performs a sold-out show in Old Saybrook's Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center, for Anderson to play anywhere near all of his great songs. But it'll be a representative and memorable set list, and his latest touring band, the Floor Models, should be superb.

Big Al Anderson, 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center, 300 Main St., Old Saybrook; sold out; www.thekate.org.