Andy Williams sticks close to home in Branson, Mo., these days, playing the majority of his shows at his own theater. But once a year he hits the road to bring Christmas music nationwide, and while that may seem arduous for a 78-year-old, he says it s a break.

In a way it s like a vacation, he says, for himself and the 22 members of the band and crew. In Branson, they do two two-hour shows a day for six weeks in the spring and fall, and then a month of Christmas shows. So one show a night on the road can seem easy, and getting a day off in the New York area is a particular treat for the whole road gang, he says.

The show, which comes to PPAC tomorrow night, includes the Christmas classics Williams made his name on during a series of televised specials in the 60s and 70s and six holiday albums, as well as early hits such as the love themes from The Godfather and Love Story, as well as The Days of Wine and Roses and, of course, his signature Moon River.
I ve just done it so much, he says about Christmas music. People like them very much and want to come to see them.

Country-music stars had been setting up shop in Branson for years, but Williams Moon River Theatre in 1991 was the first venture by a non-country artist in the town.
And hardly the last. Williams estimates that in the early 90s, there were 20 theaters drawing about 4 million people a year.

Now, Branson s a vacation destination with roughly 40 theaters and 7 million annual attendees, and singers such as Bobby Vinton, Tony Orlando and (until recently) Wayne Newton have their own houses.
Williams had some misgivings at first. His brother, Don, was managing Ray Stevens, who had a theater in Branson, and encouraged Andy Williams to set up shop.

I didn t think he knew what he was talking about, Williams says. I didn t know where it was in the Ozarks? Why would I want to come here anyway?

He came down to see Stevens, though, and I changed my mind right away.
The opportunity to come to Branson came at the right time, Williams says. For one thing, he was a known presence due to his TV exposure.

And country-music fans, he says, are notorious music lovers in general they like plenty of other genres.
And it was the right time in Williams life. I was really getting tired of playing Vegas and doing the gambling casinos and going on tours around the United States and tours of Europe.

And it came at a time when I was really thinking of stopping doing that, and here came an opportunity where I could stay in one place and people could come to see me.
He used to do two two-hour shows a day, nine months a year. Now he does fewer shows, and splits the bill with performers such as Glen Campbell, Petula Clark and Ann-Margret.

And he has, as an opening act, the best dog act I ve ever seen. People go nuts!
Still, it s kind of hard.

It s a lot of music, and a lot of singing. But it s very pretty.
Williams has finished recording his first album in 15 years, and is shopping for a record deal.

The new record includes standards such as Lady in Red and The Shadow of Your Smile, as well as more contemporary material such as Breaking Up Is Hard to Do, The Eagles Desperado and The Police s Every Breath You Take.
I know right away that I m not going to sell 15 million records, Williams says, but I can sell lots of albums. So I finally decided, I ll do it.

It s worth trying it in the end.
Williams has enjoyed a resurgence in England, where his versions of Music to Watch Girls By and Can t Take My Eyes Off of You became hits thanks to their use in auto commercials. Sony Music has been handling the deals in England, and he hopes he ll work with them again, both there and here in the States, on the new record.

He wants a major record label, but he knows the audience isn t there for a pop singer such as himself in a youth-dominated mainstream, and if he has to he ll sell the record through the Internet or on TV infomercials. He also hasn t gotten a nibble from the TV networks about another Christmas special.
Still, I m fine, he says; I m not complaining at all.

Indeed, with a built-in fan base and a home field to sing on, it hardly seems like he needs the record industry.
I don t need it in a lot of ways. I don t need it for the money; I ve got plenty of that.

But I do need it if I want to make records and sell records. And it s fun to do! It s fun to make records and sell records so I ll see how this one goes, and if it goes well I ll do another one.

And once this tour is over? I spend January, February and March in Palm Springs and I play golf.
Andy Williams sings at the Providence Performing Arts Center, 220 Weybosset St.

, Providence, Thursday night at 7:30. Tickets range from $51 to $103; call (401) 421-2787.