RISA History

RISA HISTORY TIMELINE by MaryAnn Rossoni

We Begin, February 1993

• RISA formed by songwriter Mary Wheelan, first meeting takes place at her home in Pawtucket

• John Fuzek joins that April and he, Mary and the ten original members form a planning committee

• The group soon has all of its meeting and song swaps at The Providence Center

1994 Songwriter Boom

• Critiques held monthly at The Providence Center

• 40+ songwriters beginning to attend critique sessions

• RISA begins charging a membership fee; membership expanded from 10 to 100!

• Once a month songwriters gather to listen to and discuss instructional songwriting tapes

• Members meet for planning purposes

• Monthly feature performances by members at CAV restaurant followed by first official RISA open mic

• RISA hosts pre-festival songwriter showcase outside the gates at the Ben & Jerry Newport Folk Festival

• First Annual Songwriting Competition

• Hear in Rhode Island Festival showcases 23 RISA artists; event draws over 500 people

• Multiple venues host various RISA shows and showcases.

• RISA forms bylaws and first officers voted in: RISA Board: Co-chairs: John Fuzek, Jeff Olson; Mary Wheelan, Vice-P resident; Jackie Villanis, treasurer; Joseph Matthew, membership secretary; Barbara Kemper, correspondence secretary and Marge Lawton, recording secretary

• RISA has stage at First Night Celebration

• RISA selected for Fast Folk, a monthly music magazine produced by Jack Hardy in New York

• There are weekly open mics at: 729 Hope Street and CAV

• RISA newsletter called Quarter Notes, is written and mailed to all member four times/year.

• Mailing list spikes to 200+ members

• Total operating budget averaged about $800

1995 - Growing Pains

• John Fuzek and Jeff Olson voted in as new co-chairs

• First meeting of the new Performance Committee

• A New York-style Session, inspired by the late Jack Hardy, forms at the home of Jackson Braider

• Board member Marcia Taylor facilitates workshop for the women of RISA

• RISA once again invited to hold stage at First Night

• Workshop - Press & Promo 101 with John Fuzek

• RISA directory put together for members

• Women of RISA holds first of many annual concerts, titled “Hot Cookin’ Women”

• Many more performance opportunities form

• Members begin recording their music

• RISA joins North East Regional Folk Alliance with group membership

• First of many compilations: Our Invincible Summer was a fundraiser CD for the Providence Center

• RISA member Thomas Giblin, Esq. helps the organization apply for its non-profit status

• An organization, Business Volunteers for the Arts, assists us with long range planning

• Outreach for new volunteers/members begins

• Total operating budget averaged about $1,079.00

1996 - RISA Revisits Core Mission

• Jeff Olson and Steve Valentine voted in as new co-chairs

• RISA hosted open mics begin at The Gallery Cafe, Cafe Zog and continue at CAV

• Critique sessions move from The Providence Center to The Music School

• Showcase series begins at Providence Public Library

• Workshop - Nashville songwriter Jason Blume

• Workshop - Publishing Your Songs with Bill Petterson

• Workshop - Myths and Realities of Becoming a Singer/Songwriter with Mary Ann Rossoni

• The 12 Steps of Christmas compilation is released

• RISA has first showcase at the famed Stone Soup Coffeehouse

• Performance opportunities take priority over songwriting angering founding members; Board meets to discuss revitalization of fundamental RISA principles of education

• A new group forms within RISA, Songwriters Work Group (SWG). Members of this group discuss explore music marketing to record and publishing companies

• Current board members exhausted, attendance at monthly meetings is poor, decision made to recall board members with poor attendance.

Board approves a new elections held

1997 RISA Re-charges

• Steve Valentine and Peter Hail voted in as new co-chairs

• Newsletter, now reduced to a single page, is re-vamped.

• Critique sessions need new home. Some members feel critiques are too harsh. Members suggest an alternate group for a Song Swap for those who just want to “present” material without criticism.

• Song Swaps now held at Sue Dearing’s house.

• Board begins to explore the possibility of a website

• New RISA Concert Series held at Coffeehouse in the Square

• Board becomes overworked and breaks free of Hear in RI yet remains as a supporter and sponsor

1998 Moving Forward

• Mary Ann Rossoni and Chris Myers voted in as new co-chairs

• Song Swaps morph back into critique sessions with a new twist - The “Salsa Method”. Members are asked prior to presenting a song if they want their salsa/criticism mild, medium, hot or none at all

• Newsletter re-designed and now features book and gear reviews, listing of open mics and record reviews of members and more.

• Website in production = webmasters Chris Myers and Louriann Mardo-Zayat

• RISA continues to be a Hear in Rhode Island sponsor which is not a two-day event presenting 80+ acts. Festival includes RISA and non-RISA performers

• Workshop - Journal Writing for Songwriters with Andrea Mainardi • Workshop - Press & Promo 101 with John Fuzek • Workshop - Finding Your Sound with Charles Obert

• RISA hosted open mics: Finnegan’s Wake and In the Square Coffeehouse and continue at CAV

• Survey sent to all members with the hope of finding better ways the organization can serve them.

• RISA holds first Fun-raiser on Aprils Fool’s Day. Only funny songs presented with Yankee Swap

1999 In Motion

• Deb Dovale and Dave Fontaine voted in as new co-chairs

• RISA finally has swag - T-Shirts and bumper stickers

• New RISA hosted open mic now at Brewed Awakenings

• Open mic at CAV comes to an end when owner switches to jazz format

• First RISA Cookout at the home of the Myers

• First RISA Holiday Party at the home of the Khouris

• Website goes live

2000

• Deb Dovale and Dave Fontaine voted in as new co-chairs

• RISA open mic now at The Castro

• There is a fire at the Castro and we move our open mic to The Brooklyn Coffee Tea House

2001

• Deb Dovale and Dave Fontaine voted in as new co-chairs

• RISA purchases a sound system that members can rent for free when needed

2002

• John Fuzek, Dave Fontaine and Mary Ann Rossoni voted in as new co-chairs

2003

• John Fuzek, Dave Fontaine and Mary Ann Rossoni voted in as new co-chairs

2004

• John Fuzek and Bill Furney voted in as new co-chairs

• Printed newsletter goes by the wayside and members encouraged to go to website for info

• Songwriter series begins at The Towers in Narragansett

• Songwriter series begins at The Eclectibles Cafe

• Workshop - Press & Promo 101 with John Fuzek and Mary Ann Rossoni

• Workshop - Sound Advice with Greg Bass

2013

• Chuck Williams, president

• RISA hosts One-Day NERFA (North East Regional Folk Alliance) at the University of Rhode Island campus in Kingston.

We have more history to post so please check back.

"Rhode Island Songwriter Association" is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. PO Box 305 Pascoag, RI 02859