CONTRIBUTED

The latest installment of the Rooster's Wife house concert series brings noted songsmith Pierce Pettis to town on Saturday, Feb. 23. A house concert is the perfect setting for an acoustic event, a warm community gathering in a smoke-free listening room.

Pierce Pettis, adored by both critics and public alike, is one of this generation's most masterful songwriters. His music is distinguished by his uncanny ability to capture universals in human experience by drawing on the humor and trials in daily life.

"Pettis' music can simultaneously pull on our hearts and keep us laughing," says a spokesman. "The beautiful harmonies, inventive yet subtle percussion, strong guitar, and Pierce's rich vocals are a constant throughout his body of work."

Before releasing his most recent albums ("Making Light of It," "Everything Matters," "State of Grace" and his most recent, "Great Big World") on Compass Records, Pettis released three critically acclaimed albums on the prestigious Windham Hill/ High Street label.

Pettis has performed in all 48 continental states as well as in Canada and Europe, appeared nine times on American Public Radio's Mountain Stage, been featured on National Public Radio's E-town, Morning Edition and World Cafe. He has appeared on VH-1, CBS News, and the Nashville Network.

During his long career, Pettis has been a writer at Muscle Shoals Sound Studios in Alabama, recorded for Fast Folk Musical Magazine in New York, won the prestigious New Folk competition for songwriting at the Kerrville Folk Festival in Texas, and was a staff songwriter at Polygram and Universal Music Publishing in Nashville. He has received numerous songwriting awards, including a 1999 Country Music Award from ASCAP for "You Move Me" -- co-written with Gordon Kennedy and recorded by Garth Brooks on his album, Sevens.

With the release of "Great Big World" (his eighth album), Pierce Pettis rejoined "State of Grace" producer Garry West in what has been called "a masterpiece" and "his best yet."

The performance will begin at 8 p.m. at the corner of High and Blue in downtown Aberdeen. For reservations and more information, call (910) 944-7502, or go to www.theroosterswife.org.

Admission is $12 at the door, $10 for members. Children ages 5 to 12 are admitted for $6, and those under five are admitted at no charge.