Born and raised in Cleveland, singer/songwriter/guitarist Marcus Dirk has grown up with a variety of music, musicians and surroundings to shape his songwriting along the way. His original music is influenced by Irish, Scottish, English, & American folk music, maritime music, jam-rock, reggae, & jazz. As a founding member of the Cleveland jam-folk band Cuyuga, he has released 3 albums, as well as his solo album Thistle Hill (2010). In 2015, he helped form & has been playing & writing with Cleveland Celtic-roots band Ballinloch.