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Dirk Hamilton's extensive music career began in the early 1970s in and
around Stockton, CA. Encouraged by his local popularity, he soon 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 Dirks 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. Katz wanted to continue
producing Dirk and Steely Dan almost exclusively, but after co-producing his
second album, Dirk had his own vision about the way he wanted to make his
music. He put together his own band, left ABC for Elektra/Asylum, and made
the 1978s, 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 music for those who wanted to hear it--not for the money it would
make, ended his affiliation with the company. After leaving the business for
a number of years, Dirk realized that his life was one of making music, and
he embarked on a career of his own design that continues to this day. In the
late-1980s he was surprised to discover that he had a large following in
Italy. These loyal fans became friends, and Dirk released several albums 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 also been quoted as saying that Dirk's
music is one of the few legitimate poets on the scene (Los Angeles Times),
and lucid, intelligent, and distinctive (New York Press). Dirk Hamilton is
all that and more, and he continues to hold true to his stance that his
career be conducted without compromise.
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