Dirt Floor

Dirt Floor
Studio album by Chris Whitley
Released	March 17, 1998
Recorded	December 4, 1997
Genre	Blues
Length	27:06
Label	Messenger Records
Producer	Craig Street
Chris Whitley chronology
Terra Incognita (1997) Dirt Floor (1998) Live at Martyrs' (2000)

Dirt Floor is the fourth studio album by singer-songwriter and guitarist, Chris Whitley.

It was produced by Craig Street and recorded over 2 days^[1] live direct to a two-track analog recorder using a single stereo ribbon microphone by Danny Kadar at Blue Moon Racing Shop (Whitley's father's barn) in Bellows Falls, Vermont. It was released by tiny indie Messenger Records in 1998.^[1]

This recording was also released by Classic Records in two audiophile formats. It was released in digital audio disk (DAD) 24-bit/96 kHz digital audio format playable with DVD hardware. Classic Records also released it in 180 gram vinyl audio format.

All tracks written by Chris Whitley.

1. "Scrapyard Lullaby" – 3:42
2. "Indian Summer" – 3:39
3. "Accordingly" – 3:27
4. "Wild Country" – 3:08
5. "Ball Peen Hammer" – 2:38
6. "From One Island to Another" – 2:17
7. "Altitude" – 2:52
8. "Dirt Floor" – 2:10
9. "Loco Girl" – 3:08

The import version of this album contains the following bonus tracks. All tracks written by Chris Whitley unless otherwise noted:

1. "The Model" (Karl Bartos, Ralf Hütter, Emil Schult – Kraftwerk) – 2:58
2. "Alien (live)" – 4:45
3. "Living with the Law (live)" – 3:57

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[2]

The record is "...a beautiful album of one-microphone simplicity."^[3] – The New York Times The album showcased "the essence of his undiluted talent" and is "perhaps his most deeply affecting record".^[1]

• Dirt Floor was one of Bruce Springsteen's favorite albums of 1998.^[4]

• Joe Bonamassa covered "Ball Peen Hammer" on Sloe Gin (2007).
• Gavin DeGraw covered "Indian Summer" on Free (2009).
• Wino and Conny Ochs covered "Dirt Floor" on Labour of Love (2012) and Freedom conspiracy (2015).
• Luke Watt covered "Ballpeen Hammer" on Hill End Ruin (2012)
• The Branford Marsalis Quartet, featuring Kurt Elling, covered "From One Island to Another" on Upward Spiral (2016)

• Chris Whitley – vocals, guitar, banjo, and foot stomp