About
Guitarist, vocalist and songwriter D.K. Harrell, one of the most formidable young stars of the current blues resurgence, sounds like no one else on the scene today. With his stinging, single-note string bending, deep soul vocals, and attention-grabbing original songs, the 27-year-old Harrell, a major draw at blues festivals around…
Guitarist, vocalist and songwriter D.K. Harrell, one of the most formidable young stars of the current blues resurgence, sounds like no one else on the scene today. With his stinging, single-note string bending, deep soul vocals, and attention-grabbing original songs, the 27-year-old Harrell, a major draw at blues festivals around the world–is already in a league of his own.
D.K. Harrell was born D’Kieran Harrell in Ruston, Louisiana in 1998. He first heard B.B. King at age two and responded by singing along. He sang in his church choir as a boy while continuing to be drawn to the blues. Films like The Blues Brothers, Cadillac Records and Ray made him eager to sing and play. He received his first guitar at 12, and by 16 was writing his own songs. Initially inspired by B.B. King, the youthful Harrell spent hours studying every video of King he could find, learning not just King’s licks but ultimately his tone, his finesse, his stage craft, and his band leadership skills. Harrell’s first paying gig was as an invited guest to the B.B. King Symposium in Indianola, Mississippi–where he played “The Thrill Is Gone” on King’s iconic guitar, Lucille–backed by members of King’s touring band.
In 2022 Harrell won the B.B. King Of The Blues Award for Preserving Traditional Blues Heritage from the Jus’ Blues Music Foundation. In addition to B.B. King, Harrell fell under the spell of blues masters including Albert King, Freddie King, Elmore James, Muddy Waters and others, and made their styles part of his musical vocabulary. His debut album, ‘The Right Man’, was released on the Little Village label in 2023 to rave reviews and wildly excited fans.
Now, with his Alligator Records debut album, ‘Talkin’ Heavy’, D.K. Harrell cements his place among the leading voices of the new generation of blues players. This Blues Music Award-winning guitarist with a soul man’s voice and a well-earned reputation as a mesmerizing live performer delivers fresh, emotion-packed blues informed by the tradition he loves and played with the foot-pounding fervor of a revival tent preacher.
