John Butler grew up in a small Australian town, where he learned to play guitar and absorbed the musical styles that attracted his attention. A subsequent obsession with the acoustic guitar and world music led to his development of an eclectic sound, which he honed in performances as a busking guitarist. His popularity drove him to produce a collection of his studio recordings, signaling the start of his professional career. The success of those small-scale recordings got him hailed by local fans as the emerging musical voice of the area, leading to the creation of the John Butler Trio and its first proper full-length in 1998.
Butler found his breakthrough internationally with 2001's Three: Though recorded and released independently, it was a huge hit on the Australian charts and beyond. The follow-up, 2003's Sunrise Over Sea, continued to expand Butler's musical repertoire and popularity. Following a tour in support of Dave Matthews and John Mayer, his U.S. success began to build, culminating in the release of the new Grand National.
This segment originally aired on Apr. 5, 2007.
Copyright 2007 XPN
