This paper focuses on adaptive fuzzy tracking control for a class of uncertain single-input/single-output nonlinear strict-feedback systems. Fuzzy logic systems are directly used to approximate unknown and desired control signals and a novel direct adaptive fuzzy tracking controller is constructed via backstepping. The proposed adaptive fuzzy controller guarantees that the output of the closed-loop system converges to a small neighborhood of the reference signal and all the signals in the closed-loop system remain bounded. A main advantage of the proposed controller is that it contains only one adaptive parameter that needs to be updated online. Finally, an example is used to show the effectiveness of the proposed approach. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.