D.K. HARRELL RETURNS TO EUROPE AND THE UNITED KINGDOM
AS TALKIN' HEAVY WORLD TOUR CONTINUES
Alligator Records Debut Talkin' Heavy Wins Blues Music Award For
Album Of The Year
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With his gourmet phrasing and R&B hot sauce, D.K. Harrell is the blues hero you need in your life right now.
--Guitar World
This is the joyous sound of a one-man revival. Harrell’s vocals are smooth yet forceful, and his authoritative guitar work — stinging and soulful leads that serve as memorable songs within songs — hits the sweet spot every time.
--Guitar Player
D.K. Harrell kicks the door open and walks through it like he was born for this. Already turning heads as a guitarist with a preacher’s passion and a soul man’s voice, Harrell stakes his claim among the vanguard of the new blues generation.
--Blues Matters (UK)
Remarkably gifted D.K. Harrell is leading the pack of the new generation of young bluesmen. Powerful singing, excellent and original songwriting…he’s a genius storyteller.
--Blues & Rhythm (UK)
Captivating from start to finish.
--Soul Bag (France) |
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| Louisiana-born blues phenomenon D.K. Harrell returns to Europe and the United Kingdom with live performances from June 30 through July 24, 2026. Guitarist, vocalist and songwriter 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 28-year-old Harrell--a major draw at blues festivals around the world--is already in a league of his own. Recently, D.K. Harrell won 2026 Blues Music Awards for Blues Album Of The Year and Contemporary Blues Album Of The Year for his critically acclaimed 2025 Alligator Records debut album, Talkin’ Heavy. |
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| Performance information is as follows:
Tuesday, June 30
Oslo Konserthus
Oslo, NORWAY
www.oslokonserthus.no
Friday, July 3
Skanevik Blues Festival
Skanevik, NORWAY
www.skaanevik-blues.com
Sunday, July 5
Love Supreme Jazz Festival
Lewes, UNITED KINGDOM
at Glynde Place
www.lovesupremefestival.com
Tuesday, July 7
Gent Jazz Festival
Ghent, BELGIUM
on the Main Stage at the Bijloke site in Ghent
www.gentjazz.com
Wednesday, July 8
The 100 Club
London, UNITED KINGDOM
www.the100club.co.uk
Friday, July 10
Jazzopen Stuttgart
Stuttgart, GERMANY
at the BIX Jazzclub
www.jazzopen-stuttgart.com
Saturday, July 11
Differdange, LUXEMBOURG
Sunday, July 12
Bospop Festival
Weert, NETHERLANDS
www.bospopfestival.nl
Monday, July 13
Cultural Café de Amer
Amen, NETHERLANDS
www.cafedeamer.nl
Thursday, July 16
The Cluny
Newcastle upon Tyne, UNITED KINGDOM
www.thecluny.com
Friday, July 17
Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival
Edinburgh, UNITED KINGDOM
www.ejbf.co.uk
Saturday, July 18
Òran Mór
Glasgow, UNITED KINGDOM
www.oran-mor.co.uk
Monday, July 20
Grand Social Ballroom
Dublin, IRELAND
www.singularartists.ie
Wednesday, July 22
Open Air Blues Festival Brezoi - Vâlcea
Brezoi, ROMANIA
www.brezoiblues.ro
Friday, July 24
Narcao Blues Festival
Narcao, ITALY
www.narcaoblues.it |
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| Talkin' Heavy continually surprises with twelve instantly memorable original songs filled with Harrell’s biting guitar work and authoritative, church-born vocals. Produced by studio wizard and musician Christoffer “Kid” Andersen and recorded at Andersen's now-famous Greaseland Studio, the album shows Harrell as a generational guitar talent with a wide-eyed vision and a street-smart singing style bringing life to the timeless songs he’s writing. He goes deep on the title track, taking a hard look at his surroundings before declaring, “the world is just heavy with the blues.” From blazing album opener A Little Taste to the proudly taking-care-of-business Grown Now to the feel-good groove of Vibe With Me to the foot-stomping closer Praise These Blues, Talkin' Heavy is an affirmation of the sheer power of modern blues.
Now, with Talkin' Heavy, D.K. Harrell is ready to bring his new music directly to his fans and to his peers. Using his expansive blues lexicon to create his own inimitable sound, Harrell is forging his own path with every performance he gives. As he explains, “The past gives a blueprint that you can add yourself to. I keep progressing by keeping all the genres in the mold. And I keep exposing my music to younger folks everywhere I go. I am hell-bent on crossing the blues over to a new generation of fans.” With a future as limitless as his talent, D.K. Harrell will be welcoming new fans to his music for generations to come. |
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BIOGRAPHY
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. No Depression said," With every exuberant turn of phrase, and each sharp guitar lick, the Louisiana born showman displays a pure joy in performing that’s hard to resist...supremely satisfying and engaging...robust yet relaxed singing and fluid yet piercing fretwork. Ultimately, Harrell’s greatest talent is just being his own larger-than-life self.
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