

SINGULAR SINGER-SONGWRITER CHRIS FULLERTON
RE-ISSUING DEBUT EPILEPSY BLUES
ON AUSTIN-BASED EIGHT 30 RECORDS
Early press for record celebrates rapidly rising Central Texas artist as
“a new, genuinely great talent, the kind of joyful kick music lovers live for.”
AUSTIN, Texas — Chris Fullerton sings country music bold and brave beyond compare. Epilepsy Blues, the Central Texas singer-songwriter's debut on Austin-based Eight 30 Records (out August 11, 2017), delivers hard truths both elegantly (“Bad Winds”) and effortlessly (“Come to Texas”), and simply stun with candor (“I Feel Nothing,” the title track). “The songs are about my depression and struggle to cope with a medical crisis,” Fullerton says. “A lot are very hopeful about being in a dark place but knowing there’s light at the end of the tunnel and I'm gonna survive.”
The road for an artist living with epilepsy has been paved with dark holes; Fullerton survived with tales to tell. Sharp storytelling guides the journey throughout the new album (“Seven Roman Candles,” “Motel Blues”). “Songs such as ‘Bad Winds’ are just kinda hopeless,” Fullerton says. “The chorus of ‘Motel Blues’ is, ‘I’m taking a westbound train and I won’t be home again.’ ‘Westbound Train’ is a freight-train-hopping saying that means you’re dying. There’s a lot of death in [the release]. There’s also a lot of strange things that are just in my brain on a daily basis like ‘El Paso Spacedance.’”
“It’s hard to say exactly where Chris Fullerton’s Epilepsy Blues takes you, but it definitely transports,” says Matt Harlan, the noted Houston-based singer-songwriter and recent Fullerton convert. “The songs have a time zone all to themselves, filled with sonic wormholes that can send you back in time, out into space or just to some unfamiliar house next door. Although they are rooted in noticeable traditions of country, blues, honky-tonk and folk, listening to these tunes somehow keeps you enjoyably off balance until you find yourself swimming along in their orbit.”
Other songwriters who own their own orbits: key influences Hank Williams and Townes Van Zandt, the ultimate lone ranger (Fullerton named his only son Townes for good reason). The stunning combination of these two haunting Fullerton’s work immediately turned heads. “Some albums are such a mind-blowing fine surprise that they daunt a reviewer's skill to summon up heavenly-high praise,” raved Lone Star Music magazine. “Epilepsy Blues, the debut full-length release by the virtually unknown Austin-based Chris Fullerton, is one of those all-too-rare magical recordings.”
His magic happens quickly. Fullerton is a deep-browed lyricist who chases his muse so fast his pen feels on fire. “It doesn’t take me long to write a song,” he explains. “I know a lot of writers stew over songs for a month, but every one of these songs only took me a couple hours. They usually just come out, lyrics and music both. They’re just there and at all times of the day. I usually wake up in the morning and have something to write musically and lyrically. It’s a constant process to get it down fast enough.”
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For more information about Chris Fullerton’s Epilepsy Blues please contact Conqueroo:
Cary Baker • (323) 656-1600 • cary@conqueroo.com
Radio inquiries: Jenni Finlay • jenni@jennifinlay.com
Management: Lindsay Preston • lindsaypreston@gmail.com
Reviews and Quotes:
Voted Best New Local Act of 2017 by Doug Freeman of The Austin Chronicle.
"The record is great, Chris, in my humble opinion"
Peter Case - Legendary Songwriter
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"Chris Fullerton's lyrics are earthy, intelligent and real. He writes his way to the meat of the song and then sings it with absolute conviction and vocals that are a hybrid of old time country with the rasp of a rock and roller. Put the entire package together and you end up with one of the most unique artists I've heard in Texas Music in years."
Terri Hendrix - Pioneering Indie Artist
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"This record. "Epilepsy Blues" by Chris Fullerton. Flat. Out. Stunning. I swear I don't think I've ever been knocked out this much by a country record. It comes from Austin but to me it sounds like honky-tonk music from the astral plane. There's not a song on here I don't love but I could listen to "Float On Up and See" and "Seven Roman Candles" on a loop all day and still want more. Seriously, this is brilliant stuff that needs to be heard. "
Richard Skanse - Editor at Lone Star Music Magazine
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"Chris is folk you don't have to be embarrassed listening to. He's got himself a brown sugar baritone, writing profound and thoughtful lyrics over back to basics country music"
Shoney Lamar - Musician , Kannapolis, North Carolina
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"Chris' voice is older, deeper and wiser than his 32 years on this earth. And his songwriting navigates elements of his hardcore punk rock youth in New Jersey to the Tejano country blues of his adopted South Austin, Texas. But it's his sad songs that completely kill me. I can easily say they're on par with Townes Van Zandt or Tom Waits. I will put a song like "Float On Up & See" on repeat.. And just cry my blues away."
Jay Berndt - Musician/Producer, Providence, Rhode Island
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"Chris' voice, songwriting, and work ethic are beyond compare. When I get to work with Chris, I can be certain that I will be humbled by his ability, while his infectious enthusiasm inspires me to elevate my playing."
Ian Sutton, pedal steel extraordinaire
Press Release