Now He Sings to a National Audience : Troubadour: Marc Cohn has three Southern California concerts to present his own works in pop-folk style.

That pop-folk boom that was supposed to follow in the wake of hit albums by troubadours Tracy Chapman and Suzanne Vega never quite happened. But it hasn’t been a total bust. For instance, singer/songwriter Marc Cohn did emerge this year.

Though he hasn’t made a splash like Chapman or Vega, his songs “Walking in Memphis” and “Silver Thunderbird”--from his debut album “Marc Cohn” on Atlantic Records--have made enough waves to get him a national tour and recognition as rookie of the year in the troubadour leagues. (Three of his tour stops are in Southern California: tonight at the Ventura Theatre, Sunday at the Coach House and Tuesday at the Henry Fonda Theatre.)

There are similarities in his style and Chapman’s--both sing highly personal, poetic songs with minimal accompaniment. But he rankles at being considered a Chapman clone. He did some initial recording sessions for his album with Chapman’s producer, David Kershenbaum, but insiders say the results were scrapped because the material turned out too Chapman-like.

Cohn, though, denied that report. “The problem with David was that he didn’t have enough time for the project,” explained Cohn, who wound up co-producing his album. “They couldn’t turn me into another Chapman, because I wouldn’t let them. I have my own style.”

He’s right--to a degree. While not flagrantly derivative, the echoes of Paul Simon, Randy Newman and James Taylor (who guests on the song “Perfect Love”) in his style are unmistakable. Like Newman, Cohn is not a technically perfect singer, having just modest range. It’s his intense, gritty reading of his lyrics that give Cohn’s songs their urgency. And a stark, Newmanesque feel permeates Cohn’s biggest hit, “Walking in Memphis,” an homage to the city’s musical mystique, based on his impressions after a visit.

“People are looking for some deep meaning in this song,” Cohn said. “There’s none really. I made a lot of observations when I went there. That city had a strong effect on me and my imagination. Just being there was kind of a spiritual awakening for me. I tried to convey all that in the song. I’m not sure I did what I really wanted to do with that song.”

Apparently many think that “Silver Thunderbird”--possibly his most complex and cleverly crafted song--is very straightforward ode to a classic car. But this is the song with the hidden meaning.

“It’s about boyhood memories of a father,” he said. “I talk about the car and what it means to father but the song is really about what father means to son.”

A 32-year-old Cleveland native who’s very well-educated (Oberlin and UCLA), Cohn admits he’s never seriously considered any career but singing and songwriting. While fine-tuning his songs for the demonstration tape that was shipped to record companies, he did session and club work in Los Angeles. When he was signed two years ago, he was relatively old--30--to be a first-time recording artist. However, the long delay was partly his own fault.

“I wasn’t actively looking for a deal until not too long before I signed with Atlantic,” he said. “I just wasn’t ready. The songs weren’t good enough. I needed better observations, better melodies, better hooks. They were too amateurish, full of the kind of mistakes beginners--or bad songwriters--often make.”

Cohn, who wrote all the songs on the album except his cover of Willie Dixon’s “29 Ways,” was determined not to over-commercialize his music just to get a record deal.

“I think when a record company signs someone like me they know I’m probably not going to sell 2 or 3 million copies,” he said. “They want good songs that will touch the small part of the mainstream audience that likes quiet, thoughtful music. I’m content to carve out my little area and be heard. I won’t ever be Michael Jackson--but I don’t mind.”