There's a misconception about singer-songwriters -- a stereotype, actually -- that needs to be dismissed. It has something to do with an earnest guy or girl set up high on a stage on a stool strumming a battered acoustic with a knit brow and a few primitive chords. In the audience, there are a lot of people stroking their chins as they listen, adhering to the lyrics as if they were lines from Paradise Lost. And you know, that could have been true at one time. Back at the advent of the singer-songwriter movement of the '60s, when songwriters were as prevalent as pretzel vendors in Greenwich Village or cocoa butter in Miami, artists like Phil Ochs, Fred Neil, Tom Paxton, and the rest gave that stereotype a good name. And because those artists took their key from folks like Bob Dylan, who took his cue from Pete Seeger and Woody Guthrie, their songs were largely topical, addressing serious issues like Labor Unions and Justice and The Man.

But in the mid-'60s, folk music, thanks to Dylan, started to change and songs became more self-centered, romantic, and personal. It's a good thing. As admirable as they were, how many songs about Labor Unions can one hear before turning around and voting Republican? (That's a joke.)

Anyway, as folk music evolved, so did our writers. Today, folk music is about everything, touching on an unlimited spectrum of subjects, from bald-headed men to bathing babies in the bathtub. In skilled hands, a folk song can be smart, silly, serious, or sexy -- sometimes all at once.

Well, chances are you'll get an earful of all of the above this weekend when the Blackstone River Theatre presents "An Evening of Rhode Island Singer-Songwriters" with Bill Petterson, Mary Ann Rossoni, Hurricane, and Dan Lilley. Each of these artists, proven draws and successful local recording artists, has a multifaceted approach to folk music which will undoubtedly make you laugh one minute and tear up the next. Best yet, the show is set up so that they'll all be performing in the round, which means they will be taking turns and doing lots of cool things as a group. For those who think the folk music stereotype is still packed in Greenwich Village mothballs, they can think again.

"You have to have humor, especially doing a solo act," says Bill Petterson, who was the driving force behind the show. On the circuit, Petterson's reputation as a folksinger and humorist has been so solid he was asked to open for comedian Jeff Foxworthy at the PPAC not so long ago. "Some singer-songwriters get a little too serious. They think that being funny isn't considered artistic. But some of the most artistic people I know are also some of the funniest."

For this night of acoustic music, Petterson and the gang are toying with some playful concepts, which should up the pathos considerably. In addition to performing their own songs and supporting each other's tunes, the quartet will be challenging themselves to make it interesting. "We want to do something creative," says Petterson. "Like maybe we'll each do the first song we ever wrote, or the last song we wrote, even if it's not done. Maybe we'll perform the one song we wish we wrote. Our maybe we'll each have to sing a song about a certain theme, like 'dogs' or 'mothers.' There are so many ways to have fun."

One thing's for sure, it won't be boring. "You have to be on your toes," says Petterson with a little laugh. "And I think that kind of thing is endearing to an audience. I remember Greg Brown, one of my all-time favorites, did a tune one night and didn't know the whole thing, but he still tried to work it out. It was great, 'cuz he admitted making a few mistakes or forgetting the words. He wasn't so caught up in himself that he couldn't fall down in front of everybody. It brought him down to the same level as the audience."

Such will definitely be the case this Saturday. Mary Ann Rossoni, a native of Johnston, is a solid songwriter with an acclaimed CD, Downcity, under her belt. She's a perceptive and observant writer, attuned to the quirky details of every day life. Hurricane, known in civilian life as Dorothy Hodge, is also a veteran of the local acoustic music and roots scene. She's an award-winning songwriter and a good instrumentalist, mostly on guitar and piano. She has been an opening act for Reba McEntire, Ronnie Milsap, and Waylon Jennings (RIP). Dan Lilley, who you might know from his excellent work in Lovetrain, is another Providence-based writer. That band's latest work, Almost Home, also received hefty accolades, mainly for his sweet melodicism, working-class hooks. Petterson's latest album, Parts & Labor, is also excellent. In addition to appearing with Foxworthy, he has opened big shows for acts as diverse as Emmylou Harris, Bob Weir, Livingston Taylor and, er, Anne Murray.

"It's a 'have guitar will travel' kind of thing," admits Petterson. "We're all doing the best we can trying to make a career out of this music thing, whether that means doing coffeehouses, comedy shows, or Anne Murray gigs! I don't think it's whoring yourself out. You just have to have the ability to adapt to each situation as it arises. It doesn't cheapen anything when you have to be an entertainer. I'm an entertainer. We're all entertainers. Why not entertain people when you're onstage? Being an entertainer is a moniker people run from because it connotes something phony, something Vegas. You're still in the entertainment business. Unless your Segovia, where people are awestruck, you have to hit the stage and entertain. Plus, I know that when I go out on stage, I have as much fun as the audience! The worst gig in the world is still better than most jobs. How bad can a gig be? You're not tar-roofing houses in August, right? So shut up and enjoy it."

Blackstone River Theatre (549 Broad Street, Cumberland) presents an evening with four of Rhode Island's best singer-songwriters -- Petterson, Rossoni, Hurricane, and Lilley -- on Saturday, October 26 at 8 p.m. Admission is $10. For reservations/information, call (401) 725-9272.

WANDERING EYE. What has Zox been up to, you ask? Well, I tell ya. The band has been picked up by Clear Channel Entertainment for booking, so they've been getting some cool gigs. They opened for Rusted Root recently, for example. Their new disc comes out around the beginning of November; CD release party dates to follow. See for yourself at www.zoxband.com.

And, in keeping with the folk theme above, the Narrows Center for the Arts (16 Anawan Street, Fall River, Massachusetts) has an open mic session every Thursday night. Doors open at 7 p.m., and music begins at 7:30 and goes until everyone on the list has performed. Right now, it's a three-song, 15-minute, limit. There is no admission fee, but the hat is passed. Also, get there early. It's a popular night at the club, with lots of participants. If you have any questions, contact Marilyn Edge at the Narrows at (508) 324-1926, or go to www.ncfta.org.

E-mail me with your music news at big.daddy1@cox.net.

Issue Date: October 25 - 31, 2002