“ The absolute eye catcher of “Dirtdawgs†is singer / guitar player Dirk van Coevorden. With his tremendous voice, charisma and rest, he’s the band’s anchor.â€- De Stentor .
Though these words describe Dirk’s stage performance adequately, they conjure up the image of a “natural born†performer. He feels at home on stage, but he’s not an “entertainerâ€. Intense and concentrated on stage, he prefers to let the music do the talking, whether he’s playing with one of his three bands or doing a solo gig. Listen to the music if you want to know what he has to say. His performance is all about the song, not about the singer.
Being the son of a gospel singer and a sculpturist, Music and Art were always available in his childhood. Dirk was encouraged to find a creative outlet very early on in life and at the age of eight he joined the local classical boys choir. A little later he took piano, guitar and singing lessons. He went from playing in high school bands to bands with original material to cover bands, gaining experience and skill in the process.
He wrote his first lyric when he was 11 years old and has written ever since. At first writing lyrics to the music other band members composed later writing music and lyrics for his own songs. Throughout the years there have been several moments that could have led to a bigger audience or a small “breakthrough†as a musician but somehow, something always happened which kept him from going down that path. He recorded almost an entire CD but never released it. Dirk is currently writing songs for his band “Dirtdawgs†and for a solo CD.
Dirk's songwriting and instrumental influences are many, but mostly John Prine, Steve Earle, Woody Guthrie, Bill Monroe, Sam Bush, Emmylou Harris, Jimi Hendrix, Flatt and Scruggs, Miles Davis, John Mellencamp, Doc Watson, Tim 'Obrien and Darrell Scott.
Dirk is currently a member of three bands; “SwollSkinâ€, “Dirtdawgs†and “The Tailgatorsâ€. He also performs under his own name, solo or with guest-musicians. He plays guitar, mandolin and bouzouki.
