As front-to-back line-ups go, it’s hard to find one more artistically simpatico than the one setting up shop Friday at the Kessler Theater.
A trio of top-notch singer-songwriters — Bruce Robison, John Fullbright and Summer Dean — will descend upon the Oak Cliff venue, as part of what press materials describe as “a series of statewide shows … taking the part record label, part multi-media project and part artist management team’s vision of artistic integrity and value of ambitious and authentic music on the road.”
“The Next Waltz Barnstorming,” as it’s been called, will continue to Houston, New Braunfels and San Angelo. To help get you ready for this great night of music, here’s a closer look (and listen) to these three singular talents.
Bruce Robison
The Austin-based singer-songwriter ranks among the finest tunesmiths the state has produced, which given the lineage of Lone Star songcraft, is saying something. But even more crucial may be Robison’s work as a producer, promoter and passionate advocate for acts whom he believes have the raw qualities that will stand the test of time. Robison released his latest LP, In the Woods, in February.
John Fullbright
Oklahoma native and Grammy nominee John Fullbright is one of modern Americana’s most dazzling talents, a sharp-eared, clear-eyed singer-songwriter, whose third studio album, 2022’s The Liar, was his first in eight years, following his breakout 2014 effort Songs. He can send a room into hysterics with his dry wit as easily as he can bring a tear to your eye and an ache to your soul.
Summer Dean
The dynamic Fort Worth singer-songwriter is a force of nature on record and in concert. Her most recent album, last year’s The Biggest Life, is a Bruce Robison-produced tour-de-force of raw vulnerability, coupled with Dean’s fervent embrace of good ol’ fashioned country music, made by hand and performed by seasoned pros who can make a fiddle weep or a pedal steel cry with ease.
Bruce Robison, John Fullbright and Summer Dean at Kessler Theater, Dallas. 8 p.m. April 19. Tickets are $22-$272.
Preston Jones is a North Texas freelance writer and regular contributor to KXT. Email him at [email protected] or find him on X (@prestonjones). Our work is made possible by our generous, music-loving members. If you like how we lift up local music, consider becoming a KXT sustaining member right here.
