DirkWorks Productions

DIRK JOHNSON KNOWS MUSIC.
An undeniable musical prodigy, Johnson is a successful session player, band leader, composer, engineer, and producer. In thirty-plus years as a professional musician, his talents can be heard on more than a hundred number one and top ten records.

ACCOLADES: Johnson was chosen to play for the Country Music Hall of Fame induction ceremonies of both Floyd Cramer and Hargus "Pig" Robbins. He was inducted into the ICGMA Hall Of Fame next to his hero and first employer, Kenny Hinson, of the infamous gospel group, The Hinsons. He was awarded Studio Musician of The Year in 2000 and Instrumentalist of The Year in 2005 from the same organization. In 2013 he received the Keystone award from SongGarden Music Group. He has received many gold and multi-platinum albums from artists such as Alan Jackson for his work on the Grammy award winning album Don’t Rock The Jukebox.

NOW: In addition to building his own label, DirkWorks Productions, and his own publishing, DirkWorks Music /BMI, he is the producer of choise for country music legend, Gene Watson, completing their 4th and 5th albums together as artist/producer in Fall 2015. He is the pianist for the television show Country Music Family Reunion with host Bill Anderson, airing on RFD-TV and Heartland Television. He is also the pianist for award-winning session musicians band 45 RPM, which plays at the iconic Station Inn in Nashville each month.

PROFESSIONAL CREDITS: You can hear his work on singles and/or albums of artists such as Alan Jackson, Keith Whitley, Larry Gatlin & The Gatlin Brothers, B.J. Thomas, Rhonda Vincent, Dailey & Vincent, John Conlee, Bill Anderson, and Daryle Singletary. Johnson has worked on many studio projects with artists such as Dolly Parton, Alison Krauss, Trace Adkins and Terri Clark. He’s produced many demos resulting in major label deals for such artists. He arranged, played and was band leader on a solo album for pop icon, Marty Balin, lead singer for Jefferson Starship. Johnson is currently finishing a solo album that features many of the artists listed above and several others, including a duet with the late Kenny Hinson and a never before released single by The Hinsons. He was a regular in the band for several tv shows on The Nashville Network: You Can Be A Star, Nashville Now, Charlie Daniels Talent Roundup, Play It Again Nashville, Florence Henderson’s Country Kitchen, and many others. Johnson has composed several theme songs for network tv shows, and was producer, band leader and mixing engineer for the song and video, Together We Can, commissioned by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences in Atlanta (NARAS, the Grammys). The video aired on VH1, MTV and BET and was used as a part of the Music In The Schools program.

BEGINNINGS: Born in Hiltons, VA (home of The Carter Family), Johnson began his professional career at the age of nine, touring on weekends with gospel groups until at age fifteen when The Hinsons heard him play and hired him on the spot. He moved to Nashville just before turning seventeen and played on two number one records in that first month. Later, after playing on every one of their albums, Johnson co-produced The Hinsons' last album, One Last Hallelujah, which resulted in two number one hits and a top ten single. He also worked with countless gospel greats including The Crabb Family, Dottie Rambo and The Gaither Vocal Band.

FUTURE: Johnson's musical gifts combined with his eagerness to observe and learn from those around him, have led to producing, engineering, and publishing. He says the next logical step in his succecssful career is to help other struggling artists, writers, and musicians through his label, DirkWorks Productions and his publishing, DirkWorks Music/BMI. He also wants to give back to his hometown region of Southwest Virginia. He currently divides his time between his career in Nashville and working with the grammy award-winning studio, Maggard Sound, in Big Stone Gap, VA, having some of the best session players in the industry join him there to turn out projects equal to or exceding the Nashville sound and quality he has been part of for so many years.