Singer-songwriter John Fullbright returns to FitzGerald's

Submitted by FitzGerald’s. Photo: Vicki Farmer.

Anyone who has seen John Fullbright’s past performances at FitzGerald’s knows he’s the real deal. Fullbright, who grew up and still lives in Bearden, Oklahoma (population 133), credits much of his success to the state’s nurturing, low-stakes musical atmosphere. Last year, this son of Oklahoma, something he shares with Woody Guthrie, was awarded the Rising Star award by the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame.

What’s so bad about happy?” John Fullbright sings on the opening track of his latest album, “Songs.” It’s a play on the writer’s curse, the notion that new material can only come through heartbreak or depression, that great art is only born from suffering. That plainspoken approach is part of what’s fueled the young Oklahoman’s remarkable rise. It was just a few years ago that Fullbright released his debut studio album, “From The Ground Up” to a swarm of critical acclaim.

The LA Times called the record “preternaturally self-assured,” while NPR said “it’s not every day a new artist…earns comparisons to great songwriters like Townes Van Zandt and Randy Newman, but Fullbright’s music makes sense in such lofty company.” If there was any doubt that his debut announced the arrival of a songwriting force to be reckoned with, it was put to rest when “From The Ground Up” earned a Grammy nomination for Best Americana Album, which placed Fullbright alongside some of the genre’s most iconic figures, including Bonnie Raitt. http://www.johnfullbrightmusic.com

Hardin Burns open the show at 8:30 p.m. May 15 at FitzGerald’s, 6615 W. Roosevelt, Berwyn. Tickets ($20) are available at the club and TicketWeb.

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