My guest on the next episode of The String is an artist who’s been on my dream list for a long time, the Louisiana-based multi-instrumentalist, producer and songwriter Dirk Powell. I first became aware of him I’m sure at Merlefest, where I saw him play with Balfa Tojours, the Cajun revival band he had with his wife through the 1990s and 2000s. He’s been part of many of my favorite projects over the years with artists including Tim O’Brien, Jerry Douglas, Darrell Scott and more recently Rhiannon Giddens. The show will have the full backstory, but in working up the interview, I found that at his website, Dirk has written a memoir of his formative years in music that really deserves your time. It delves into familiar terrain for roots music writers and readers but with language so fresh and a take so personal and wise that it stands out as one of the finest pieces of music writing I’ve read in recent years. Powell grew up in Kent, Ohio, where there wasn’t much going on in the way of traditional culture. Instead, he got connected to old-time music on trips to his grandfather’s place in rural Kentucky, where he saw Papaw and his Uncle Clyde play and exchange tunes and ideas. Powell reflects on developing his own style under their mentorship:
Uncle Clyde knew what a gifted musician Papaw was. Later, when I was playing the fiddle myself, he slid me one of those back-handed compliments that older generations always seem to deliver to younger ones right on cue. Speaking about the way Papaw fiddled, he told me, “Well, you might match him on the notin’, but you’ll never beat him on the bowin’.”
I knew then, and know now, that he was right. It’s not that I don’t like what I can do with the bow. I can make it snarl when I want to – which is more often than most fiddlers probably would; I can drive tunes in a certain edgy way. I established my terms with the fiddle long ago: I want the music to have blues and I want it to have balls. I want it full of sweat and grease. Occasionally, I want to be granted the power to break a heart. However, I’m not going for the level above those things, the one that transcends them and then unites them with others on a spiritual plane. My terms involve late nights and running around, too much rosin and just enough bourbon. My fiddle seems happy with the deal. It’s not a Stradivarius and I’m not Paganini – we’re a good match. FULL ESSAY HERE>>>
My show with Dirk, who recently released a fantastic new album of searching songwriting called When I Wait For You, will air Sunday (8am) and Monday (9pm) with the podcast coming a day later.