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.
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.
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. Rock & Blues Muse said, “D.K. Harrell raises every roof in town…he’s a phenomenon coming across like a lifetime blues master… an outstanding singer and guitarist with a big-league presence. Amazing… he’s an absolute beast.” His massive, immediate success led him to win the prestigious Blues Music Award for Best Emerging Artist from The Blues Foundation.
Harrell has toured the U.S. and Europe multiple times, astonishing audiences everywhere he plays. People all over the world can’t get enough of D.K. Harrell’s high- energy and always unpredictable live shows. In 2024 alone he performed across the U.S. and Canada, and toured all over the European continent, with shows in Germany, Switzerland, The Netherlands, France, Belgium, Spain, and Norway. Blues Blast called him, “The fastest-rising talent in the blues today… his stinging, single-note runs hit like a hurricane. His rich tenor swings like a pendulum. A new star is born.” (Article courtesy Alligator Records.)
Experience the resonance and timeless melodies of stories that transcend generations — at Blues in the Bottoms at Knuckleheads Saloon on Saturday, October 4, 6:00 p.m. Featured performers are D.K. Harrell, Kevin Burt, and Selwyn Birchwood. Tickets are available at knuckleheadskc.com.
Funding for Blues in the Bottoms is partly provided by the Neighborhood Tourist Development Fund and the Missouri Arts Council.
