Music
Press
“Darryl Purpose once made his living as a professional gambler, and, like all gamblers, he knows how to tell a good tale. That, plus his sharp eye for detail, his instinctive feel for hard-living, unsentimentalized characters, and his battle-hardened, but ultimately optimistic view of the world makes “A Crooked Line” one of the best recent collections of contemporary story songs.” - Dirty Linen
“Darryl Purpose once made his living as a professional gambler, and, like all gamblers, he knows how to tell a good tale. That, plus his sharp eye for detail, his instinctive feel for hard-living, unsentimentalized characters, and his battle-hardened, but ultimately optimistic view of the world makes “A Crooked Line” one of the best recent collections of contemporary story songs.” - Dirty Linen
“There is a quality to his music that touches the heart and the spirit of the listener, an authenticity of emotion is palpable.” - Lucky Clark, Central Maine Newspapers
“There is a quality to his music that touches the heart and the spirit of the listener, an authenticity of emotion is palpable.” - Lucky Clark, Central Maine Newspapers
“Purpose is the kind of musician we all aspired to be at one time. He can pick up his acoustic in just about any setting and sound REALLY good. The songwriting is clever and the musicianship a 10+.” - FQMB
“Purpose is the kind of musician we all aspired to be at one time. He can pick up his acoustic in just about any setting and sound REALLY good. The songwriting is clever and the musicianship a 10+.” - FQMB
“Potent and soulful words wrapped around beautifully strummed out rhythms serves notice that the musicianship as well as the in depth writing on this recording can be powerful and riveting in equal measure. It’s destined to be a Folk classic.” - MuzikMan.com
“Showing the storytelling influence of Harry Chapin with a bit of Bob Dylan thrown in, Purpose’s third CD, Travelers’ Code, revels in emotional nakedness, smoothly weaving images of love, fear, loneliness and regrets through its 11 tracks.” - Julie Bowerman, rambles.net
“Showing the storytelling influence of Harry Chapin with a bit of Bob Dylan thrown in, Purpose’s third CD, Travelers’ Code, revels in emotional nakedness, smoothly weaving images of love, fear, loneliness and regrets through its 11 tracks.” - Julie Bowerman, rambles.net
“Darryl Purpose’s music hits all the vital areas: the heart, the mind and the gut. “Traveler’s Code” is a collection of road stories told from the inside out, peopled with characters that live and bleed, undertaking journeys both interior and exterior. Purpose delivers these tales in language that is precise and unflinching, with a voice that rings true from experience. These songs never let go.” - New Orleans Gambit Weekly
“Much has been written about Purpose’s transition from notorious blackjack player to itinerant folk singer. But what’s more important about Purpose’s art is his rare dedication to storytelling in song. His new CD, “A Crooked Line,” is his most narrative yet, and with Ellis Paul, Dave Carter and Tracy Grammer among the guests, it might be his most attractive.” - Daniel Gewertz, Boston Herald
“Much has been written about Purpose’s transition from notorious blackjack player to itinerant folk singer. But what’s more important about Purpose’s art is his rare dedication to storytelling in song. His new CD, “A Crooked Line,” is his most narrative yet, and with Ellis Paul, Dave Carter and Tracy Grammer among the guests, it might be his most attractive.” - Daniel Gewertz, Boston Herald
“Darryl’s fine guitar work is evident throughout, especially on the instrumental, ‘Rootwing,’ which opens and closes the album. Combine that with his hypnotic voice and heartfelt words and ‘Right Side of Zero’ comes close to a perfect ten.” - The Performing Songwriter
“Darryl’s fine guitar work is evident throughout, especially on the instrumental, ‘Rootwing,’ which opens and closes the album. Combine that with his hypnotic voice and heartfelt words and ‘Right Side of Zero’ comes close to a perfect ten.” - The Performing Songwriter
"Purpose has the voice of James Taylor, the brains of Bob Dylan, and the soul of Willie Nelson." - Attache, US Airlines in-flight magazine
"Purpose has the voice of James Taylor, the brains of Bob Dylan, and the soul of Willie Nelson." - Attache, US Airlines in-flight magazine
"A physically imposing man, hat firmly on head and dressed in black, he bordered on the menacing, until he opened his mouth. Then his natural warmth and charm blazed through." - Michael Mee, Southern Reporter
"A physically imposing man, hat firmly on head and dressed in black, he bordered on the menacing, until he opened his mouth. Then his natural warmth and charm blazed through." - Michael Mee, Southern Reporter
"America’s most original narrative songwriter since Harry Chapin." - Q Magazine
"America’s most original narrative songwriter since Harry Chapin." - Q Magazine
"Darryl Purpose’s music hits all the vital areas: the heart, the mind and the gut… Purpose delivers these tales in language that is precise and unflinching, with a voice that rings true from experience. These songs never let go." - New Orleans Gambit Weekly
"Darryl Purpose’s music hits all the vital areas: the heart, the mind and the gut… Purpose delivers these tales in language that is precise and unflinching, with a voice that rings true from experience. These songs never let go." - New Orleans Gambit Weekly
"Purpose takes the almost indescribably intense moments of life and brings them a step closer to comprehension… I quite literally found myself reaching for something to hold onto. “Ring on My Hand” could be “the” next wedding song of the next thousand years or so." - Mike Devlin, Music Matters Review
"Purpose takes the almost indescribably intense moments of life and brings them a step closer to comprehension… I quite literally found myself reaching for something to hold onto. “Ring on My Hand” could be “the” next wedding song of the next thousand years or so." - Mike Devlin, Music Matters Review
"A Crooked Line reveals Darryl Purpose as one of the truly under-recognized singer-songwriters on the contemporary scene." - Rich Warren, Sing Out!
"A Crooked Line reveals Darryl Purpose as one of the truly under-recognized singer-songwriters on the contemporary scene." - Rich Warren, Sing Out!
"…beautifully crafted literature set to wonderful melodies and presented with an uncommon mix of delicacy and grit. There isn’t a filler song on this album." - Dale Barcellos, Bluegrass by the Bay
"…beautifully crafted literature set to wonderful melodies and presented with an uncommon mix of delicacy and grit. There isn’t a filler song on this album." - Dale Barcellos, Bluegrass by the Bay
Discography
Next Time Around (2012)
Live at Coalesce (2005)
The Gift of the Magi (and other seasonal stories) (2002)
A Crooked Line (2001)
Travelers’ Code (1999)
Same River Twice (1997)
Right Side of Zero (1996)
Photos
Bio
When Darryl Purpose was 16 years old, his mother put a book called 'Beat the Dealer' in his Christmas stocking. He went to Las Vegas as a teenager and began a career as professional card player - and still calls this the 'only real job I've ever had'. Years later he took time off to walk across the country for peace, and fell in with a bad crowd - musicians & peaceniks. In 1996, inspired by his work with a traveling band of musical activists, Darryl began to tour nationally as a solo singer-songwriter. Eight years, six CD's and a thousand-plus shows later, he was headlining venues like the Freight and Salvage, Club Passim, McCabes, The Bluebird Cafe, The Kennedy Center, and the Kerrville Folk Festival MainStage.
In 2005, he inexplicably set down his guitar and took a 7 year sabbatical in the rocky mountains. During this time he shepherded the release of "Singer-Songwriter Heaven, the songs of Kevin Faherty" and continued to captain the Second Strings Project, which is responsible for delivering over twenty thousand sets of guitar strings to those who need them all around the world. In 2009, he was inducted into the Blackjack Hall of Fame, one of 17 members, including Ed Thorp, the man who wrote that book that his mother put in his Christmas stocking at 16. He says that he also "got healthy, in multiple ways"
After seven years away from the singer- songwriter scene, Darryl Purpose is back to making music, with a new energy and a new flair for connecting with audiences.
2012 saw Darryl record his first CD of original material in 10 years - "Next Time Around", produced by Billy Crockett for the Blue Rock Artists label. Called "a masterpiece" and "Purpose's best effort yet" by Dj's. Live performance is his strength as he connects his audience to to his songs with a storyteller's heart.
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