Robbie Fulks

Robbie Fulks came up in Chicago, where he wrote about music for the Chicago Reader before making his own. That background shows in songs like 'God Isn't Real' and 'Let's Kill Saturday Night,' which have a sharp, observational quality that feels more like a writer's eye than a typical country narrative. He's often filed under alt-country, but his work leans into satire and plainspoken questioning as much as traditional forms.

His 1996 album 'South Mouth' established his voice, and records like 'Georgia Hard' and 'Crushed Velvet' followed over the next couple decades. The song 'God Isn't Real' caused some radio stations to drop it when it came out in 2005, which tells you something about his willingness to poke at sacred cows. He's worked with people like Kelly Willis and John Prine, and his bands have included players like drummer Miles Zuniga and bassist Paul Burch.

Fulks has never been one to avoid friction. In 2001 he wrote an open letter criticizing his own label, Bloodshot Records, and his material often walks a line between dark humor and outright provocation. Still, he's earned respect within the Americana world, picking up awards from the Americana Music Association for songs and albums in the late 2000s. What sticks is the writing, songs like 'She Must Think I Like Poetry' that feel conversational, a little wry, and grounded in the details of ordinary life.