Dirk & Amelia Powell

Dirk & Amelia Powell

It’s been 23 years since he last performed at Shetland Folk Festival, and we are delighted to welcome back multi-instrumentalist and 4-times Grammy Award winner Dirk Powell with his talented daughter Amelia.

Dirk is well-known to UK audiences from his performances with Transatlantic Sessions, and also his work with artists such as Emmylou Harris, Steve Earle, Rhiannon Giddens, Eric Clapton, and many more. He is regarded as a champion of rural Americana, with a focus on the music of his Appalachian roots and his Cajun home, but has longstanding ties with the Celtic music world, as evidenced by his latest CD, “When I Wait For You”, which was released on Vertical Records and produced by Donald Shaw.

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, are in demand throughout Cajun country and beyond. She has toured internationally since her teenage years. Together, they play music of their Appalachian and Cajun heritage, write and craft original songs, and bring audiences the kind of soulful connection that comes from family playing together with humour, trust, and love.