Bill Morrissey

Bill Morrissey (November 25, 1951 ? July 23, 2011) was an American folk singer-songwriter from New Hampshire. Many of his songs reflect the harsh realities of life in crumbling New England mill towns. Hailing from New Hampshire in the northeastern United States, singer-songwriter Bill Morrissey wrote about everyday life on the fringes, both geographical--e.g., fading mill towns, railyards, prisons--and interpersonal--e.g., instant infatuation with an unknown woman at a bar.

Hailing from New Hampshire in the northeastern United States, singer-songwriter Bill Morrissey wrote about everyday life on the fringes, both geographical--e.g., fading mill towns, railyards, prisons--and interpersonal--e.g., instant infatuation with an unknown woman at a bar. He sometimes didn't so much sing as croak, but his understated, weathered voice blended well with the unsentimental, toughened characters in many of his songs. It just fits. His songs ranged from slow and contemplative ("Off-White," "Man From Out of Town," "Hang Me, Oh Hang Me") to midtempo and keenly observant ("Barstow," "Long Gone,") and occasionally whimsical ("Live Free or Die," "Party at the U.N."). His songs' characters and lyrics favor hard-won realism over sentimentality, casting a wary eye on the past as they negotiate a mostly uncertain present. Recommended for fans of keenly observational, almost literary contemporary "folk" music.