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Troubadour Derek Dames Ohl Brings His Folk Roots Sound To The Woodshop

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With lyrics that feel similar to those of folk legends like John Prine and the sound and style of Blaze Foley, Americana troubadour and Colorado-based folk musician Derek Dames Ohl is set to bring something special to The Woodshop on Friday, November 28th.

Ohl has been performing and touring since he was straight out of high school at eighteen and has never looked back. In speaking with Ohl, he mentioned that he was always the kid in school with a guitar and a song.

“As long as I can remember, I've always dreamt of playing music. I was the classic hippie kid in high school who would show up with a guitar on his back in place of a backpack or school papers.

By the time I was eighteen, instead of going to school, I started writing songs and playing with my friends wherever we could. It's just been all I know, really. Got bit by the bug. Since then, I'm thankful to say that my music has taken me from coast to coast and introduced me to like-minded folk all along the way.”

Ohl was featured in Nashville's "Music Mecca" as an Under the Radar artist to keep your eye on in 2025 and is currently touring parts of the Southeast on his Fallin’ Leaves Part Two Tour.

In 2024, he released an album entitled Someday I'll Be Happy (And Rule This World of Mine), which Ohl mentioned came out of nowhere, and that a lot of the tracks are done in one take to give an idea of what it is like to see him live.

“A friend who worked at a local studio was testing a new mic setup and asked if I could play a few songs. Next thing we knew, we were recording an album. Some of the songs we laughably nailed on the first take.

I wanted to make something as close as possible to what you hear when you see me play solo. And of course, I’m always writing and shaping the next album, just taking my time with it. The older I get, the more I realize it’s not a race.”

When asked about his parallels with legendary songwriters like Blaze Foley, John Prine, Todd Snider, and Townes Van Zandt, Ohl suggested that he wouldn’t be a songwriter without John Prine.

“I can honestly say I wouldn’t be a songwriter if it weren’t for John Prine. What influenced me most about him was his ability to put words to emotions that everyday people feel and to help them truly feel those emotions.

I’ve also drawn a lot of inspiration from the storytelling and onstage banter of legendary songwriters, especially Todd Snider. I love creating that sense that we’re all in it together, me and the audience, laughing one minute and crying the next.”

Ohl will be landing in Chattanooga for the first time ever and expressed excitement about coming to the Scenic City and performing at The Woodshop.

“I’m so dang excited. This will be my first time, and there’s nothing that compares to the feeling of rolling into a new town and sharing my songs with people, whether they’ve already connected with them or are hearing them for the first time. That’s a kind of magic I’ll never forget.

This has been my best tour yet, and I’m counting my lucky stars. I’d say anyone who’s a fan of John Prine or Blaze Foley will appreciate what I’m trying to do, and I’d love for them to come out and see the show.”

Derek Dames Ohl