After falling into a drunken abyss that derailed his promising young career, blues singer Chris Smither reemerged in the late 1970s with a newfound dedication to his craft. His third album, It Ain't Easy, a culmination of his dark times, was released in 1984 and contained deeply philosophical musings sung with pain and conviction. In 1998, he received a long-overdue profile boost when he toured with fellow rockers Dave Alvin, Jack Elliot and Tom Russell on the "Monsters of Folk" tour, and he has continued recording steadily ever since. .
Chris Smither
Tonight @ Shank Hall, 8 p.m.
