“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. 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
LATEST NEWS!
Hello everyone! It is an amazing feeling to be on the other side of the summer of 2025, which was full of so much music, so much travel, and so many good times. Joining Rhiannon Giddens’ Old-Time Revue was a blast. We started at her beautiful festival in Durham, in April, and went on to tour basically every corner of the U.S. Other highlights included a duo show in Glastonbury, playing with Preston Frank at Fiddle Tunes in Port Townsend, returning to Sardinia, then Rome, for lovely shows with our friends in the old-time community there, and doing some really fun UK shows with Deux Familles Cajun Band. This fall finds me mostly in the studio, working on Rhiannon’s upcoming release, and my own upcoming release, and participating in projects by Heidi Talbot, Hannah White, Kelly Hunt, and many other artists. That introspective turn that happens this time of year is welcome and feeling good! More to come soon about upcoming releases and exciting shows in 2026.
“When I Wait For You is so absorbing it could only come from that rare combination of technical brilliance and joy of collaboration that Dirk Powell has in abundance.”
— Folk Radio UK
“Steve Earle has called fiddler, guitarist, and banjo player Dirk Powell an “artist of unique vision and unbending integrity” while Joan Baez has said he possesses “an overdose of talent.” You may well be offering similar plaudits after listening to this lilting Americana/folk release.”
— Americana Highways
“Instead of women being objects and victims, the women in Powell’s songs are the ones with the power and are fully realized humans, active participants in the stories being told.”
— No Depression
Dirk’s latest album, When I Wait for You, is available on Vertical Records, in the U.K and Europe, and Compass Records in the U.S and Canada. Co-produced by Donald Shaw, featuring original material recorded in Louisiana and Scotland with special guests Mike McGoldrick, John McCusker, Sara Watkins, Rhiannon Giddens, Amelia & Sophie Powell, and many more!
I Ain’t Playing Pretty Polly -Single and Video out now!
Check out Dirk’s video for ‘I Ain’t Playing Pretty Polly’