'A beautiful man and musician': RI Music Hall of Fame bassist Bob Petteruti remembered

Musician Robert "Bob" Petteruti was a link to a different time in Rhode Island: an age when jazz musicians like Duke Ellington played smoky city clubs and cruise ships serenaded their well-dressed passengers with live music.

Petteruti was "the dean of bass players in Rhode Island," always willing to share his knowledge with other musicians, according to his 2015 Rhode Island Music Hall of Fame biography. 

The son of a musician, Petteruti grew up in an apartment above the family's music store in Olneyville, played his first professional gig at age 13, "anchored the rhythm section for every major jazz figure to pass through" the Ocean State and taught at Brown University and Community College of Rhode Island, according to his Hall of Fame biography.

Petteruti died March 9 at the home in Cumberland he shared with his son Tom Petteruti and Tom's wife, Deb. He was 92.

"He was a very important person on the Rhode Island music scene, having taught so many of the area's best musicians and played with most of the international jazz greats who played in the area," said Tom Petteruti, a drummer and vocalist with the band Brass Attack.

Petteruti's Hall of Fame biography says, "Over several generations, he instructed and mentored dozens of our finest musicians, on the bass and other instruments, at the Twin City Music House stores in Providence and Pawtucket founded in 1932 by his father, guitarist and bandleader Joseph Petteruti."

Playing with Duke Ellington during golden age of jazz

Spending his prime in a golden age for local musicians, Petteruti often played the bass six nights a week as a member of the house band at such clubs as the Celebrity Club and the Allary in Providence, and Kings and Queens in Pawtucket, according to his son Tom.

The clubs typically drew the biggest names in music, and a highlight in Petteruti's career came in 1957 when Ellington asked Petteruti to play with his band at the Celebrity Club because Ellington's bass player had missed his train.

Ellington was a hero to Petteruti, and he was intimidated by the request. "I don't play good enough to play in your band," Petteruti recalled telling Ellington in an interview years later.

But Ellington had heard Petteruti play, and he had faith in him. So did Petteruti bandmate Duke Belaire, who told him, "Do it, man."

Petteruti did it, although he said his knees were knocking the whole time. "Do It, Man," later became the title of a documentary about the club.

Early in his career, after serving with the Army during the Korean War, Petteruti went to work for a cruise line, playing music on an ocean liner making trips to South America.

He later played in a trio led by Mike Renzi, who would would become musical director for "Sesame Street" and play with Tony Bennett. Renzi died in September.

Petteruti also recorded albums and coauthored a book, "Who's Who In Rhode Island Jazz."

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When he wasn't playing, Petteruti was working at the family's music store, or teaching, according to his son Tom. The Pawtucket store was closed after a fire in 1971 and the Providence store closed in 2010, the victim of a changes in the musical instrument market.

'He just made me feel good'

Musician Duke Robillard met Petteruti in the 1970s when Robillard was leading Roomful of Blues. Robillard said he often visited the Petteruti family's music store on "on my quest for vintage archtop guitars."

"I always enjoyed talking music and instruments with Bob and listening to his stories about the swing era and all the great Rhode Island players," Robillard said. "He was always helpful to all the locals and was a superb musician who was loved and admired by everyone who knew him."

Petteruti gave Robillard good advice on instruments and taught many of Robillard's friends and band mates.

"He was also a very humorous guy," said Robillard, also a Rhode Island Music Hall of Famer. "He gave you the feeling like he was your uncle when talking to you. Just a beautiful man and musician."

Bassist Marty Ballou recalls Petteruti, Renzi and drummer Artie Cabral playing at his high school years ago. Then in 10th grade, Ballou had never seen a jazz trio before. Ballou and Petteruti later became friends and were inducted into the Rhode Island Hall of Fame in the same year.

Ballou fondly recalls Petteruti hosting Christmas Eve parties for musicians at the family store. "He was about reeling everybody into the community feeling," Ballou said. "I loved Bob very much. He was so sweet. He was so supportive. He just made me feel good."

"My father loved people," Tom Petteruti said. "He had a zillion stories."

Tom Petteruti says he feels fortunate to have worked with his father and also to have played with him on some gigs. He says his father was grateful to have spent his prime working years in an era when music and musicians thrived.

"He had a good life," he said. "He was a very positive force."

Petteruti's wife, Rose, died last April. In addition to Tom, Petteruti leaves sons, John and Steven. Two other sons, David and Paul, preceded him in death.

Robillard said, "He will be missed for a very long time."