Much like the terribly underappreciated Tragically Hip, Bruce Cockburn is a star in his native Canada but not so in America.

During a career that has spanned more than 40 years and 34 albums, Cockburn has sold millions of albums in the Great White North, but for some reason something is lost in translation at the border.

Cockburn, 76, who will headline Saturday at the Bing Crosby Theater, fares well enough in the U.S., but it’s a mystery why the well-respected singer-songwriter isn’t a more popular attraction.

“I just focus on what I can control,” Cockburn said while calling from his San Francisco home. “I have no complaints.”

The Canadian Music Hall of Famer consistently crafts compelling, cerebral folk. Cockburn has a way with protest songs and political and protest tunes.

In 1984, Cockborn crafted a clever hit, “If I Had a Rocket Launcher,” which was accompanied by a video depicting life in desperate and war-ravaged Central America, which scored considerable MTV play.

Cockburn has spoken out on a wide range of issues such as inhumane treatment of others, corporate wrongdoing, environmental issues and Native rights.

“Someone has to speak on the behalf of the others,” Cockburn said. “If I have a platform, why not use it? I didn’t know any Native people when I was growing up in Ontario.

“When I traveled, I met the aboriginal people in Western Canada and saw that they had a very different life experience than mine. How some people have lived their lives touched me deeply.”

The Berklee School of Music dropout is an altruist who has enjoyed a healthy career thanks to the support of fans enamored of his songwriting and guitar work. “I’m fortunate that I’ve had those who have been incredibly loyal,” Cockburn said. “They inspire me.”

It’s not only the aficionados who motivate Cockburn. His 9-year-old daughter Iona moves his creative needle, as well.

“It’s exhausting being the father of such a young child, but it’s true that it keeps you young,” Cockburn said. “The great thing is that I’m much more available now than I was years ago with my older daughter, Jenny.

“It’s all working out. It’s wonderful being a father, and it’s great to still be doing what I love, which is perform.”