Songwriter Marcus Hummon continues his close affiliation with Actors Bridge Ensemble, teaming with the theater group for a revised version of American Duet, a work he first presented in 1999 to warm critical reception. Co-written with Actors Bridge artistic director Bill Feehely, the play chronicles the musical journey of Hank Jefferson, a black country singer, and Michael Ebo, a white African-pop vocalist, while posing a basic human question: How do we maintain our dreams in a world full of compromise? Feehely directs a cast that includes New York recording artist Chris Glenn and Nashvillian Scat Springs reprising the role of Jefferson. Hummon himself is in the cast, making his acting debut. Reflecting its musical theme, the production is being presented Feb. 6-16 in a new cabaret-style adaptation at 12th & Porter. For reservations, phone 341-0300.

—M.B.

This week’s picks by Todd Anderson, Martin Brady, Chris Davis, Steve Erickson, Bill Friskics-Warren, Paul Griffith, Heather Johnson, Jim Ridley, Joshua H. Rothkopf, Jack Silverman, Jon Weisberger, Angela Wibking and Ron Wynn.

Thursday, 6th

Boston Bluegrass Greats Inducted last October into the bluegrass Hall of Honor, West Virginians Bea and Everett Lilly improbably made their mark in Boston, where between 1952 and 1970 their music inspired a generation of musicians. Though The Lilly Brothers are one of the last remaining links to the heyday of country music’s great brother duos, they’re still spry, delightful performers. They’ll be joined by some of the best of those they influenced, including Peter Rowan and Jim Rooney. The celebration gets under way 9 p.m. at The Station Inn.

—J.W.

Maybe Baby The Story’s Jennifer Kimball and Cambridge music scene vet Ry Cavanaugh share songwriting and vocal duties on What Matters, an album that marks their debut as Maybe Baby. Cavanaugh’s weathered voice blends with Kimball’s pristine leads and harmonies on upbeat, country-tinged folk and dark, lethargic tunes in the spirit of producer Billy Conway’s trio Morphine. The duo give a performance at Tower Records on West End, followed by an acoustic set Friday at The Basement. Singer-songwriter Sarah Siskind shares both bills.

—H.J.

Jennie DeVoe This soulful, blues-leaning singer-songwriter from Hoosierville has clear antecedents—Bonnie Raitt, Rickie Lee, the Coug—yet much to her credit, her records sound timeless, not dated. Someone should send a tape of “I Picture You,” from 2000’s Ta Da, to Sheryl Crow—or, better yet, Ms. Raitt. DeVoe performs 11:45 p.m. as part of a songwriting competition showcase sponsored by the Folk Alliance in Room 210 at the Nashville Convention Center; she also performs 9 p.m. Saturday at Borders.

—B.F-W.

Alternative Woody As the Woody Guthrie 90th Year Celebration segues into the Folk Alliance jubilee, the two events overlap all weekend. This bill at The End spotlights Guthrie’s influence outside the folk community, where a new generation of socially conscious punks and alt-rockers have taken up his cause. Representing are German singer-songwriter Hans-Eckardt Wenzel, who has just released an album of Guthrie covers and posthumous collaborations, and Blackfire, a Native American punk band from Arizona, who’ll premiere a new song featuring Guthrie’s lyrics.

—J.R.

Thursday, 6th-Saturday, 8th

Jolie Edwards From Nebraska by way of Oklahoma City, Edwards strives to break into the front ranks of Nashville “chick” singers. She’s got the pipes, as evidenced by her DreamWorks debut from a couple years ago. She had a minor hit with a country-pop thing called “Boom,” but for a solid dose of soulfulness, check out her gut-wrenching rendition of Paul Davis’ “I Go Crazy.” Currently at work on a new album for Warner Bros., Edwards brings her field-tested skills to the Wildhorse Saloon for three nights, beginning at 7 p.m.

—M.B.

Aengus Finnan Born in Dublin and raised in Ontario, this former schoolteacher, ornithologist and research diver is a Kerrville favorite whose latest album, North Wind, melds Tom Clancy’s traditional and Gordon Lightfoot’s popular folk. Finnan’s songs evoke the reflective solitude of everyday life in the frozen north. He plays showcases at 12:25 a.m. Thursday, 1:40 a.m. Friday and 1:05 a.m. Saturday as part of the Folk Alliance Conference at the Nashville Convention Center.

—P.G.

Friday, 7th

Stella Chiweshe Chiweshe became a legend in her homeland for being the first woman to accompany herself on the mbira, the African thumb piano used in the traditional Shona music of Zimbabwe. She then drew heat from conservatives for incorporating elements of contemporary music into a sacred idiom that dates back to the 15th century. Chiweshe nevertheless went on to enjoy international acclaim for her hypnotic vocals and percussive playing, not just through her recordings, but also through high-profile tours with the likes of Tex-Mex troubadour Tish Hinojosa and Peruvian singer Susana Baca. The “Queen of the Mbira” appears in a Folk Alliance showcase from 7:33 to 7:53 p.m. in the Grand Ballroom of the Renaissance Hotel.

—B.F-W.

Jeannie Kendall “Heaven’s Just a Sin Away,” by Missouri father-daughter duo The Kendalls, hit country radio like a sledgehammer in 1977. For most of the next decade, Jeannie and Royce were standard-bearers for updated but traditionally based country music. The duo were hard at work on a new album when Royce Kendall died in 1998. But with help from the likes of Alan Jackson and Alison Krauss, Jeannie—one of the music’s sweetest, heartbreakingly expressive voices—has finished the CD, and she’s making her first appearance on the Grand Ole Opry since the death of her father. Backed by Larry Cordle and Lonesome Standard Time, the luminous Kendall is sure to be the highlight of a typically eclectic Opry lineup. Shows start at 6:30 and 9:30 p.m.

—J.W.

Fisk University Jubilee Singers The Fisk Jubilee Singers’ repertoire is an amazing recasting of traditional African American folk songs in a distinctly European choral mold. Since the group’s creation in the early years of Fisk, the Jubilee Singers have earned the university international renown. The most recent lineup of the group, which is now more than 150 years old, is documented on In Bright Mansions, their new CD on Curb Records. They perform as part of the Folk Alliance Conference from 9:19 to 9:39 p.m. in the Grand Ballroom of the Renaissance Hotel.

—C.D.

Respect: The Musical Journey of Women From “Someone to Watch Over Me” to “I Will Survive,” this evening of music and drama traces women’s paths to empowerment through song. Fittingly, it benefits the Mary Parrish Center for Victims of Domestic and Sexual Violence. Performed by author Dorothy Marcic, Adrienne Ewing-Roush, Emily Price and Rachel Price, the show takes place 7 p.m. at the First Unitarian Church. For information, call 256-5959.

—J.R.

Imaginary Baseball League From Murfreesboro, the League play emotional college rock but are saved by their stabs at plaintive Radiohead moments. Their hooks find their mark a bit more easily than purveyors of similarly textured rock. They play The End with Aireline and Madcraft.

—T.A.

Schfvilkus Last year was a big one for this local jazz-rock ensemble. They signed a national distribution deal for their album Genrealization, which earned them some attention outside their hometown. Known for extended jams and challenging arrangements, Schfvilkus appear at Exit/In.

—R.W.

KISS Army If you’re tired of showcases and writers-in-the-round, these guys are rumored to be the best of the numerous KISS tribute bands touring. But don’t take if from me: Gene Simmons once called them “Fantastic!” They’re at Blues Hideaway.

—P.G.

Eakin on Stage Maura O’Connell joins The Hot Club of Nashville, Will Kimbrough, Nashville Mandolin Trio and Dave Pomeroy in a Belcourt benefit for the Eakin School Parent-Teacher Organization. For info, call 846-3150.

Saturday, 8th

Alison Brown Quartet Brown is among the rare banjo soloists equally adept at mainstream jazz, bluegrass, folk and country, and her albums have earned high praise from critics all over the musical spectrum. She can play delicate melodies or assertive phrases, and sparkles in both a lead and accompanying role. Her quartet will be featured at The Station Inn.

—R.W.

Fastball In 1998, All the Pain Money Can Buy brought this formerly Austin-based garage-pop trio platinum success. By 2002, they were without a record deal, with co-frontman Miles Zuniga leaving the band to try his luck here in Nashville. What a business! In anticipation of summer dates opening for Collective Soul, Zuniga, bassist Tony Scalzo and drummer Joey Shuffield have reformed for a tour of smaller venues that includes this show at The Basement. P.G.

Bianca De Leon A gritty, well-traveled singer-songwriter who does the Texas tradition proud, De Leon mixes hill-country folk, union-hall country and piquant Tex-Mex seamlessly on her evocative LP Outlaws & Lovers, where she’s supported by stalwarts such as Joe Ely, Redd Volkaert, Joel Guzman and flamenco wizard Teye. De Leon headlines the Puremusic.com extravaganza at The Basement.

—J.R.

Connye Florance Florance’s flair with lush show tunes and sentimental ballads has made her one of the area’s most popular jazz-tinged vocalists. Her style couldn’t be better suited to a 7 p.m. event at the Belcourt called “A Taste of Romance.”

—R.W.

Sunday, 9th

Cormac McCarthy Maine-based neo-folkie McCarthy (not the author) writes hard-hitting songs for hard-hit people and sings them in a well-traveled voice that brims with empathy. It’s fitting, then, that he and fellow New Englander Sammie Haynes will be touring Metro schools this week with a show called “Hard Times and Good Times in America: The Great Depression and the Dust Bowl Through the Songs of Woody Guthrie.” The duo will also perform the show 3 p.m. at Bongo Java on Belmont Boulevard. McCarthy will play a set of original material afterward.

—B.F-W.

The Shipping News/Black Soul Choir Murfreesboro’s Black Soul Choir (formerly The Falling) are an intense mess of mood and energy who work the soft/loud dynamic. They play the Red Rose with The Shipping News, whose thoughtful brand of indie rock emphasizes restrained musicianship over testosterone.

—T.A.

Southern Culture On The Skids Following in the long trails of The Blasters and Cramps, Southern Culture on the Skids mix punk, country and rockabilly, with a penchant for humor and/or songs about liquor. The Legendary Shack♦Shakers open at the Exit/In.

—S.E.

Peter Rowan The renowned instrumentalist performs at a live WRLT broadcast, preceded by Paul Burch and friends singing standards from the Woody Guthrie songbook, 9 p.m. at 3rd & Lindsley.

Tuesday, 11th

Merle Haggard & The Strangers The legendary Haggard has made no bones about his distaste for the constant touring that keeps him away from his family—“Leavin’s Getting Harder,” he sang on 2000’s If I Could Only Fly. Still, it hasn’t kept him from staging delicious shows that ramble freely through his own deep catalog and the rest of the 20th century’s as well. The venerable Ryman Auditorium is the perfect venue for such explorations.

—J.W.

Debbie Davies Once a star member of Albert Collins’ band, Davies has been a big name on the blues circuit for more than a decade, where she’s developed into a credible singer and an explosive guitarist. Her latest album pays tribute to the music of John Mayall. She returns to Bourbon Street Blues & Boogie Bar.

—R.W.

Wednesday, 12th

Wes Cunningham Cunningham’s 1998 debut, 12 Ways to Win People to Your Way of Thinking, earned critical accolades but little else due to poor promotion from Warner Bros. Now running his own ship, the unassuming singer-songwriter has issued the aptly titled Pollyanna, a cleverly written love letter to his wife printed on bright melodies and Beach Boys-style harmonies, with occasional forays into quirky effects. Cunningham plays at 12th & Porter with Rob Giles.

—H.J.

Robin & Linda Williams Despite regular exposure on A Prairie Home Companion, this engaging duo spend a lot of time under the radar, quietly touring and issuing one folk-country gem after another. Visions of Love, the couple’s most recent album, offers covers from Hank to Haggard and makes a strong case for their interpretive gifts, but their own songs have plenty of wit, insight and memorable melodies too. They’ll be slipping into The Station Inn at 9 p.m.

—J.W.

Film

Singin’ in the Rain Baby Night My little girl, a 13-month-old snuggler, loves the Singin’ in the Rain DVD, but for maximum effect she should see it on the big screen—especially in the new 50th-anniversary print making its way around the country (and opening Friday at the Belcourt). How can I take her without fearing she’ll disturb the other patrons? Easy: by going to the Belcourt’s Baby Night. Every Monday at the Hillsboro Village theater, parents wanting a night out can bring their infants regardless of the movie, saving frazzled nerves and the cost of a babysitter. As for the film, what can we say about a movie that has probably cheered up more people than any other? See the article on p. 37.

—J.R.

Casablanca Bogie, Bergman and a film that can safely be called the apex of Hollywood studio-craft. The hero, Rick Blaine, may be the classic American character, a tough-minded proprietor and cool operator. But it’s Humphrey Bogart’s emotional investment in the part, biting back tears in a perpetual cloud of cigarette smoke, that makes Rick an emblem for jilted lovers around the globe. Rick’s final choice is a political one, a call to activism despite a terrible cost—which makes this provocative viewing even today. The masterpiece screens at Vanderbilt’s Sarratt Cinema. J.H.R.

Koyaanisqatsi The title roughly means “life out of balance” in the Hopi language, and that’s fairly on the money for Godfrey Reggio’s impeccably photographed 87-minute montage of natural and man-made wonders, a reasonably strong indictment of the despoiling of our environment. For an abstract art film, this is surprisingly engaging, due to the fine time-lapse cinematography that sifts out the crossflows of avenues and streets in Manhattan’s canyons and catches clouds swirling into massive fronts. The star is Philip Glass’ monumental score, a landmark of modern composition. The movie screens on DVD 7 p.m. Friday at Watkins Film School; Reggio’s follow-up, Naqoyqatsi, opens soon at the Belcourt.

—J.H.R.

In Praise of Love Some viewers were baffled and infuriated last weekend by Jean-Luc Godard’s stunning new film, now showing at the Belcourt; others were so intrigued they saw it twice. It’s a demanding work, to be sure, and one that actually benefits if you do some reading beforehand: Matthew Wilder wrote one of the best pieces in the Minneapolis City Pages (www.citypages.com). Which is to say it’s worth the effort, dammit. The Belcourt holds it over one more week.

—J.R.

Shanghai Knights Sure it’s a sequel, but with comic chemistry this deft, who can blame the filmmakers? Jackie Chan and Owen Wilson return to surefire silliness in an adventure that transplants them from the last go-around’s Wild West to foggy Old Blighty. Expect Wilson to send the dialogue off into inspired tangents of gentle nuttiness, his forte. And advance word says Chan contributes his best stuntwork in years, including a dangle off Big Ben. The trailers promise nothing but mindless diversion, true—but sometimes a mind is a wonderful thing to waste. It opens Friday. J.H.R.

“Under the Bridge” In this collaborative effort from Nashville filmmakers Marty and Sarah Reeder and actor/director Steven Lewis, a hot-headed city slicker’s dalliance with a country girl has chilling repercussions. The filmmakers host their world premiere 2:15 p.m. Sunday at the Belcourt, with an encore to follow at 3:15.

—J.R.

How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days A guy (Matthew McConaughey) who bets he can keep a relationship going longer than 10 days meets his match—in a magazine reporter (Kate Hudson) determined to ditch him long before day nine. The breezy romantic comedy opens Friday, along with LL Cool J in the latest update of The Taming of the Shrew, Deliver Us From Eva.

—J.R.

Dance

Nashville Ballet Feb. 7 and 8 at TPAC, Middle Tennessee’s only professional ballet company offers three performances of its winter concert, “Rites and Passages.” The opening selection, Awaiting Redemption, features music performed by singer-songwriter Hal Ketchum and choreography by company artistic director, Paul Vasterling. The program continues with the dance classic Giselle, which offers a 19th century take on the redemptive power of love. Nashville Symphony provides accompaniment.

—M.B.

Theater

Proof Tennessee Repertory Theatre’s first production of the new year is David Auburn’s Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award winner. Part of the company’s Off-Broadway Series, Auburn’s comedy-drama introduces Catherine, a young woman who dropped out of college to care for her father, a renowned mathematician whose brilliance was eclipsed by serious mental illness. After his death, Catherine faces longstanding differences with her sister, the surprising affections of a new suitor, and the fear that she has inherited her father’s madness as well as his brilliance. The Rep’s executive producing director, David Grapes, stages the play Feb. 6-15 in TPAC’s Johnson Theater.

—M.B.

Bridge to Terabithia Adapted from Katherine Paterson’s Newbery Award-winning novel, Nashville Children’s Theatre’s latest production concerns the adventures of two unlikely friends in a small rural town who create an imaginary kingdom where they escape the day-to-day world of young teens. This heartwarming play for older children and adults celebrates friendship, courage and the strength of the human spirit. Scot Copeland directs, and the musical direction is by Paul Carrol Binkley. The play runs Feb. 10 through Mar. 7 in NCT’s Hill Theatre.

—M.B.

Art

Cheekwood Botanical Garden & Museum of Art Art glass and textile art take center stage at Cheekwood with two eye-popping exhibits opening this weekend. In Cheekwood’s Museum of Art, “Glass of the Avant-Garde” features a fabulous array of art glass created in Austria, the Czech Republic, Poland and Germany in the early 20th century; the show runs Feb. 8 through May 11. Meanwhile, in the Temporary Contemporary Gallery, enjoy an exhibition of garments by clothing designer Natalie Chanin and catch a screening of “Stitch,” Chanin’s documentary about quilting and sewing circles in her hometown of Florence, Ala. A trained filmmaker who worked for many years as a stylist for films and videos, Chanin is the founder of Project Alabama, a company that unites her designs with Alabama seamstresses to create handcrafted shirts sold around. The show opens with a reception 6-8 p.m. Feb. 7; the artist will give a talk at 6:30 p.m.

—A.W.

Vanderbilt university fine arts gallery California artist Lewis deSoto takes an inflated view of himself—literally. His “Paranirvana (Self-Portrait)” is a 26-foot-long sculpture of painted cloth given shape and form by an electric fan that constantly pumps air into it. The shape the sculpture takes is that of a famous reclining Buddha figure in Sri Lanka. The difference here is that the Buddha’s face has been replaced with deSoto’s own. Meet the artist at the opening reception, 5-7 p.m. Feb. 6. A lecture by deSoto follows at 7 p.m.

—A.W.

C’est Ahh! Spa & Gallery During her travels in India, Nashville photographer Karla Branen acquired a collection of Rajasthani tapestries from the Thar Desert region near the Pakistani border. The artists of this region are known for using brightly colored materials of all sorts, and for incorporating small, round pieces of mirror in their work. Check out Branen’s collection and this new spa/gallery at 108 Harding Place at a reception 6-9:30 p.m. Feb. 8.

—J.S.

Antics Gallery Mark Winter is an expert on Navajo textiles; Rose Blue Eyes is an award-winning Navajo weaver. Both will be in Nashville for the Heart of Country Antiques Show, Feb. 13-16 at Gaylord Opryland Resort—but first they’ll be at this Hillsboro Village antique and art gallery to present a fascinating program, 5:30-7 p.m. Feb. 12. The duo will discuss historic and contemporary Navajo weaving, with several stunning examples on hand, and Blue Eyes will demonstrate weaving on a traditional hand-built Navajo loom. A.W.

Reading & Writing

The Artist’s Way Seminar Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way has provided the impetus for many a gainfully—if mundanely—employed individual to chuck it all in pursuit of a fulfilling life of creative poverty. Despite its idealistic premise, the book and its sequel The Vein of Gold really do provide aspiring right-brainers with valuable techniques in the “practice of creative living.” Local artist Danette Malerich hosts a seminar based on Cameron’s work at Borders Books & Music Café, 545 Cool Springs Blvd., 7 p.m. Feb. 6. For info, call 771-2870.

—P.G.

Events

The Ethics of War: A Symposium on “Just War” Theory If we invade Iraq, will it be a just war or just a war? Join the debate at this day-long symposium presented by the School for Living Theology at Downtown Presbyterian Church on Saturday. Discussion will center around the just war theory—a doctrine about how and why wars are fought, from ethically justifying forms of warfare to the rules and traditions applied in various wars throughout history. Local scholars will lend their voices to the debate, and St. Thomas Aquinas will be there in spirit, no doubt, since his Summa Theologicae outlines what has evolved into the just war theory.

—A.W.

Conference on African American History & Culture You’d never know it to look at the way Nashville promotes (or doesn’t promote) its Civil War history, but the Battle of Nashville was one of the pivotal struggles in that bloody conflict. It was also one in which African Americans played a key role. This year’s annual conference at Tennessee State University concentrates on that neglected area of local history. Speakers include Susan Hawkins of the Fort Donelson National Historical Park, who will talk about the Underground Railroad that guided thousands of slaves north to freedom, and Norm Hill, a local Civil War reenactor who re-creates the experiences of black soldiers during the war. The conference is Feb. 12 on TSU’s Avon N. Williams Jr. Campus downtown.

—A.W.

“Can You Get from the Dust Bowl to Music Row?” Music journalist Dave Marsh anchors a discussion of the late Woody Guthrie’s influence on country music and the artists who’ve continued his tradition, from Tom T. Hall to Steve Earle. The panel, which also includes singer-songwriter Nanci Griffith and Scene music editor Bill Friskics-Warren, begins 11 a.m. Saturday at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum; tickets are $5 or free with museum admission.

—J.R.