Our Young Professional for this week Dirk L. Walters; a man with a passion for career, hobbies and family. Photo: VINO

Our Young Professional during one of his many on-stage performances. Photo: Provided

Dirk striks a pose for the cameras while doing his thing at the UPs Cineplex. Photo: Provided

There is no doubt that Dirk is deep into his music soul as evident here in this photo taken during one of his on-stage performances. Photo: Provided

Dirk having a social moment with his pride and joy; seven-year-old daughter De'Jha. Photo: Provided

But while he is seen and known as a very popular VIslander there is the untold story, until now that he has spoken with Virgin Islands News Online, of his life that has gotten him to where he is today and the reason why he does what he does. There are two key words that tell the story of his secret that makes him who he is; Volunteerism and Discipline.

His main career is as a Customs Officer and has been seconded to the Financial Investigation Agency as an investigating Officer, a career for which he is duly qualified academically, experience and otherwise. He loves his job and has been preforming his duties there with all diligence, commitment and honesty.

He holds other professions and said he has never gone to a school or had any professional training other than a dream which he followed and has led him to being a professional in that regard. "I play music, I am a professional musician, I am a song writer, producer, arranger, keyboard player, drum and rhythm programmer, musical director," all for his band, the well known 'Xtreme Band'.

Without any doubt, Dirk said his band is 'the' band of the Virgin Islands and has been making its mark throughout the Caribbean and on the international scene. "I have played music in places such as St. Thomas, St Croix, Anguilla, St. Marten, Trinidad and Tobago, Miami, USA," among others that were not at the tip of his tongue at the time of the interview.

What many persons may not know of this very ambitious Young Professional is that in pursuing his career in the music industry, "I have produced a lot of songs for people in the music industry." He called names like 'Onion', Burning flames out of Antigua, Daddy Friday and Chamban out of St. Thomas. "I have played for a lot of various bands in different capacities, different roles, Prime Time from Tortola, Imagination Brass from St Thomas and my band Xtreme we've been the back-up band for a lot of huge International Soca artistes over the years." Some of those artistes include Peter Ram, Biggi Ire, Claudette Peters and the list goes on. 

Of all the popular songs he has produced in his career, he feels the most popular one is "Wine on Me". No doubt party fans and music lovers would have no reserve in agreeing as that is one hit song that has never lost its sting and continues to be a hit in clubs, bars, stages and on the airwaves. "We did that with Onion from burning flames," he called. At the time of it hitting the public it made it big in Europe, the Caribbean, United Kingdom (UK) and the United States of America (USA).

"It actually got the attention because we realise it’s a VP record, which is a major record distribution company based in Jamaica and New York and we have had a lot of huge hits too because we have done some remix of some popular songs, like some old soul music, rock music and even RnB. Sometimes we put our little Caribbean twist on it."

One of the things that has made him and his band successful at what they do is that they have fun doing their thing. As the main man behind his band of more than a decade, Dirk said he has grown as a manager as he has had to deal with challenges of various types. While being on the road to where he is today he has had to deal with people at all levels and seeing members come and go he can say that he has a 'Master' because of the fact that he stuck with it and today the band remains together and is going places.

At his youthful age of 34 years that is quite some achievement, which according to Dirk, all came naturally. "My plate is very full right now doing plenty work for a number of big artistes and producing my own album at the moment."

There are some special people in our Young Professional's life who he finds pleasure in allowing to eat from his plate; his wife and his pride and joy, seven-year-old daughter De'Jha. He said being a husband and father defines him as a man and would give his life to ensure that they are taken care of. "I see my role as a father as very important, I give my girl the required attention and love and it’s something I just don't understand how some men neglect their offspring, I cannot do it, it’s what defines you as a man and every man should hold on to that and be a positive influence in the life of their children."

When his daughter was born he said it was the happiest moment of his life. "I actually cried. Despite being custom officer or financial investigator, musician, or popular person, there is nothing greater than being a father, being a daddy."

"Men need to man-up and take on their responsibility. They need to man-up."

With that being said, Dirk is looking forward to sometime in the near future to having a son. "That's one of my dreams for the future, I have my jewel daughter and I need my son." Guess that was a subtle message to his wife if she hasn't been told directly just yet.

His words to the world are, "If you love something you should do it for the love first and foremost. Everybody wants to make a dollar, of course everybody wants to make money but then at the same time I look at it like if I can help other people and myself learn in the process and feel good about myself I know that I have done good in the process of everything that I do. At the end of the day I am happy." There is that spirit of volunteerism.

His advice to youth is, "Apply yourself, don't sit down and wait for anything because nothing was given to me, I had to work hard, and sweat and bleed for it, for everything that I have ever done. But I applied myself and I never give up." He said that a lot of people were against him when he set out to follow his dreams because he was not their 'standard mould'. "But I had the will, once you have the will and the determination and you are disciplined and you condition yourself, you can achieve anything no matter what it is, just stay positive and stay clean." There is that spirit of discipline.