"God gave this one an overdose of talent." -- Joan Baez
“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
"Hearing Dirk play the fiddle on the set of Cold Mountain, I felt as if my work as an actor had already been done for me." --Jude Law
"Proof that the circle remains unbroken." -- The Washington Post
Dirk Powell combines deep-running roots in rural American tradition with an overarching artistic vision that speaks poignantly to the audiences of today. From learning banjo and fiddle at the feet of his grandfather in Kentucky, through founding the Louisiana Cajun group Balfa Toujours, to extensive recording and film work with such artists as Jack White, Joan Baez, T-Bone Burnett, Anthony Minghella, Loretta Lynn, and Spike Lee, Dirk has arrived at a place all his own - one where tradition, inspiration, and innovation meet without borders.
We first met Dirk back in the late '90s when we were down in western Louisiana while we were pulling together forces for our 1997 Oregon Festival of American Music, which was dedicated to the sounds of that state. He's married to Christine Balfa, daughter of famed Cajun cultural icon Dewey Balfa, and we've had their extraordinary traditional Cajun band Balfa Toujours out to Eugene a couple of times over the years...and had Dirk back on his own with the great banjo picker Riley Baugus. Most recently you might have seen him backing up Joan Baez a year back at the Jaqua Concert Hall. It's great to have him back.