Dirk Powell has expanded on the deeply rooted sounds of his Appalachian heritage to become one of the preeminent traditional American musicians of his generation.
“Dirk’s got great subtlety, tremendous feel, and he’s very loose and very modern, in the best sense of the word.” — T-Bone Burnett
“Now that’s the kind of fiddlin’ I like, right there…” — Loretta Lynn
In addition to acclaimed releases on Rounder Records, he’s recorded and performed with artists such as Loretta Lynn (playing several instruments on her Grammy-winning release Van Lear Rose), Sting, Jack White, Levon Helm, Jewel, T-Bone Burnett, Ralph Stanley, and Linda Ronstadt. His ability to unite the essence of his culture with modern sensibilities has led to work with many of today’s greatest film directors, including Anthony Minghella, Spike Lee, Ang Lee, Victor Nuñez, Steve James, and Edward Burns. His live performances of powerful Appalachian music with The Dirk Powell Band have inspired audiences across the globe in a wide variety of venues, including such prestigious settings as the Eastman School of Music and Interlochen Academy. Dirk also selected and arranged traditional Appalachian material for Riverdance: The Show, in which he also performed on fiddle.
In his early teens, Dirk formed a musical bond with his grandfather, James Clarence Hay of Sandy Hook, Kentucky. Here Dirk discovered a personal resonance with traditions that stretch back to Scots-Irish ancestors who came to the mountains in the middle of the 18th century, and, in continuation of this line, learned banjo and fiddle firsthand. He was featured as part of “The Great High Mountain Tour,” an outgrowth of the Academy Award-winning film Cold Mountain, for which he acted on screen, arranged traditional material, and served as musical advisor and consultant. Other dramatic films featuring his performances include Ang Lee’s Ride With The Devil, Spike Lee’s Bamboozled, and Edward Burns’ The Brothers McMullen.
Dirk has scored several documentaries, including the award-winning films Stranger With a Camera, The Unfinished Civil War, and Thoughts in the Presence of Fear. He also appeared in the BBC/RTE documentary series “The Irish Empire” as an expert on the culture of early Scots-Irish immigrants to Appalachia. He recently collaborated on a fusion of Appalachian music and Hip Hop with Richmond producer/rapper Danja Mowf for the film From the Holler to the Hood, which explores tension between guards and inmates in the new maximum-security prisons in Appalachia.
In short, Dirk Powell displays a vibrant creative energy that crosses many boundaries while remaining grounded in the rural traditions of his heritage. His formal musical training, deep-running roots, and dedication to self-expression as a necessary part of life combine to make him one of the most important artists in America today.
Also available with Amelia Powell:
Dirk and Amelia Powell are a daughter/father duo from Southwest Louisiana. Dirk is regarded as a champion of rural Americana, with a focus on his Appalachian heritage and his Cajun home. His emotional recordings have inspired a new generation of roots musicians and his original song “Waterbound” has been recorded over 100 times. Dirk has worked extensively with artists such as Joan Baez, Eric Clapton, Rhiannon Giddens, Levon Helm, and many more. Dirk’s daughter Amelia grew up in the bayous of Louisiana, immersed in the musical culture of her grandfather, Cajun fiddle hero Dewey Balfa. Her driving guitar and soulful vocals, as both a lead and harmony singer, have led to work in the studio, TV and film, and a wide array of performances around the globe. Together, they play music of their heritage, write and craft original songs, and bring audiences the kind of soulful connection that comes from family playing together with trust, humour, and love.
“One of the most respected Americana-Folk musicians of his generation, with four Grammys to his name, and a decade as Joan Baez’s ‘band’, Dirk Powell has more laurels than you can shake a banjo at. He’s not resting on them, he’s building a legacy that takes the form of Amelia Powell, daughter, and granddaughter of legendary Louisiana fiddler Dewey Balfa. The younger Powell’s talents are immediately clear. She has just the right potent, soulful voice for the job, coupled to a burning passion for the music. Dirk’s instrumental skills and Amelia’s evocative voice made for a night of masterfully performed Cajun and Appalachian music hosted by two charming, and deeply likeable human beings.” The Quintessential Review
“Dirk Powell is a badass. To the bone. He is, in addition to being the greatest old-time banjo player alive, a graduate student of both mountain and Cajun fiddle styles, and diatonic button accordion, an instrument that fights you back, take it from me, I’ve tried. He is a singer, songwriter, producer, recording engineer and, all in all, an artist of unique vision and unbending integrity. As far as I can tell there is no genre of American roots music that Dirk doesn’t understand, no primordial mode he can’t master, no polyrhythmic code he can’t crack.” Steve Earle
“God gave this one an overdose of talent.” Joan Baez
