"DK" a singer-songwriter who plays smart and quirky acoustic punk on Appalachian dulcimer. DK takes this instrument to another level---playing power chords, original fiddle tunes, edgy and mournful trad tunes, some lesser known covers, and original material. She accompanies her Joy Machine with the gutsy, full-hearted voice of a “roll up your sleeves, there’s work to be done” kind of woman.

Stay Cool

The Selkie's Coat Shy One

Salty South

Lay Me Down

June Apple

Jasmine Girl

Fuck You Dad

The Four Walls

Devils Dance

Androgynous Grrl

"DK" is an NYC born, urban mountain dulcimer performer and singer-songwriter who plays both traditional “lap” and “Nova Scotian” style on four and five string dulcimers, holding the electric dulcimer like a guitar. It’s easy to get a sweet, seductive sound out of the dulcimer but DK takes it to another level---playing power chords, original fiddle tunes, edgy and mournful trad tunes and some lesser known covers, and original material that has a reputation for “rocking out” on this trad instrument. Even when playing acoustically, much of her work is beat driven with a roots undertone. She accompanies “The Joy Machine” (as she calls the dulcimer) with singing that is melodic, heart-felt, and powerful---with the gutsy, full-hearted voice you’d expect a “roll up your sleeves, there’s work to be done” woman to have---the kind of woman who would have worked the railroads or tilled a field. 

DK performs a range of material, varying her set and sound depending on the gig and who's joining her on stage. Her repertoire includes old-timey, "trad," and fiddle tunes, original songs and instrumentals (ranging from an alt-folk sound to acoustic punk) and some covers. All of it's got energy and passion---and, of course, thanks to the dulcimer, a kind of dark, melodic joy.

DK & the Joy Machine