Dirk Hamilton

Dirk Hamilton's music career began in the early 1970s in and around Northern California. Wanting to make records, he ventured to Los Angeles and quickly caught the attention of influential producer Gary Katz—at the time working with Steely Dan. Katz arranged a deal with ABC Records and produced Dirk's first album, You Can Sing on the Left or Bark on the Right, using elite session musicians that included Elliott Randall, Jeff Porcaro, Victor Feldman, and Larry Carlton. Dirk had his own vision about the way he wanted to make his music and put together his own band and co-produced Alias i with Stephan Goldman. In 1978 he left ABC for Elektra/Asylum, and made Meet Me at the Crux, which was called "hilarious and chilling" by Ken Tucker in the Rolling Stone Record Guide. Years later (1990), respected music journalist Steve Pond named it as one of the essential albums of the 1970s in an article also published in Rolling Stone. Dirk toured with Warren Zevon and produced one other album for Elektra, but his adamant stance on making the music he heard in his head rather than trying to make "marketable product," ended his affiliation with the company. After leaving the business for several years, Dirk realized that, come what may, his mission in life was to make music, and he returned to a career of his own design which continues to this day. In 1989 he was surprised to discover that he had a large following in Italy and has toured there every year since. These days he tours Italy at least once a year with his American band and once a year fronting an Italian band. He also plays solo and with his band here in the United States. Six of Dirk's albums have been released on Italian labels. Dirk has been called "A true American master" by well-known producer Dusty Wakeman (who produced his 1996 album, sufferupachuckle), and he has been compared over the years to Van Morrison, Bob Dylan, and Bruce Springsteen. Music reviewers have said: "One of rock's best-kept secrets...a gripping live performer" (Los Angeles Times), "One of the few legitimate poets on the scene" (New York Press), "Lucid, intelligent, and distinctive songs...as well as a winning presence onstage (Austin Chronicle), and "Brilliant songwriting and goose bump-inducing singing" (Tower Pulse). Dirk Hamilton is all that and more, and he continues to hold true to his stance that his career be conducted without compromise.