It's with a heavy, if hopeful, heart that news like this must be conveyed.

Saluté owner Azeneth Dominguez is asking for patience and prayers from patrons coming out Friday night to see conjunto star Esteban "Steve" Jordan.

"The man with the plan" is ailing, his longtime residency shaken to the core because his liver cancer has spread to his pelvis, causing him severe pain.

Jordan did his best to hide it at the Tejano Conjunto Festival at Rosedale Park last month. Ask him how he's feeling, and he'll tell you, "Oh, hay va" (so-so).

But he's missed his last two Friday night gigs. The one before that, he barely managed an entire set. He acknowledged Tuesday that he's been feeling like hell and spending a lot of time in bed.

"I might be able to play," said Jordan, 70. "More than likely I will because they're giving me a (heavier treatment) para el dolor (for the pain). But everything is fine."

It's a brave face from one of the toughest musicians who has ever lived. There is no cure, but Jordan fights on despite pain that makes it difficult to walk and stand for long periods.

Feisty as ever, Jordan claims the music does not suffer.

"I was born with that (expletive), bro," said Jordan. "Eso no se olvida, eso se parquéa en la mente. Todavia tengo mucha jalea por todo ese pedo (You don't forget that. It's parked in my mind. I still have the juice for all that stuff)."

But will he be there Friday night?

"I want to be there for damn sure," said Jordan. "Porque ya hace tres semanas que no llego (It's been three weeks that I haven't been there)."

Jordan said the tumor even affects the way he holds his Hohner button accordion.

"Within an hour or two, you get tired," he said.

On an upbeat note, Jordan is still basking in John Burnett's major feature story about his music on National Public Radio's "All Things Considered."

"There were people calling me from Mexico, from Califas and from other states," he said. "Parecen locos (They're crazy). It was great. A lot of people called."

Believe it or not, the normally guarded, iconoclastic musical pioneer liked the worldwide reach of the radio show.

"Local stations don't go nowhere. You know that," said Jordan. "Sales a Poteet y ya se acaba el pinche estacion, hombre (Get toward Poteet and you lose the frickin' station, man)."

His advice to musicians is "to never stop learning."

"I just go for it, and it comes out," he said. "If there's anything there, it'll come out."

What does he advise his fans to do about his scheduled gig Friday night? If he can't make it, Juanito Castillo is set to fill in with Rio Jordan.

"Try to make it on down," Jordan said. "No hay nadie que me puede copiar (There's no one that can copy me)."

Find news, concert updates and more on the Latin Notes Now blog at mySA.com. Keyword: Entertainment.