Mike Dowling is an American roots music guitarist and songwriter who is best known for his solo arrangements on the Grammy Award-winning composition CD Henry Mancini: Pink Guitar. [1] [2] [3] In 2005, Dowling was ranked as one of the twelve best fingerstyle guitarists in the United States. [4]
Dowling was raised in Wisconsin [3] before moving to Nashville. He learned about song structures while taking piano lessons when he was ten years old. [5] Dowling got his first guitar when he was twelve years old.
After dropping out of college, [5] Dowling was hired by fiddler Vassar Clements to play in his touring band, and his playing can be heard on Clement's Grammy-nominated Nashville Jam album. [6] [5] He performed and recorded with jazz violin pioneer Joe Venuti and mandolinist Jethro Burns. [3] In 1991, Dowling released his first solo album, Beats Workin' , featuring Clements. [7] Dowling won a Grammy Award for his solo work on Henry Mancini: Pink Guitar. He designed the El Trovador guitar for National Reso-Phonic Guitars. [8] Dowling was a guest on A Prairie Home Companion. [9]
While in Nashville, Dowling has written songs that were recorded by artists such as Emmylou Harris, Kathy Mattea, Claire Lynch, Del McCoury and George Fox. A recording of his song Backtrackin' by The Nashville Bluegrass Band [7] was nominated Bluegrass Song of the Year in 1994 by the International Bluegrass Music Association. [7]
Dowling lives in Wyoming with his wife Jan. [7] [10] Dowling spends some of his free time as a guitar instructor where he also releases material on Homespun Tapes. [11]
Mike Dowling is an American roots music guitarist and songwriter who is best known for his solo arrangements on the Grammy Award-winning composition CD Henry Mancini: Pink Guitar. [1] [2] [3] In 2005, Dowling was ranked as one of the twelve best fingerstyle guitarists in the United States. [4]
Dowling was raised in Wisconsin [3] before moving to Nashville. He learned about song structures while taking piano lessons when he was ten years old. [5] Dowling got his first guitar when he was twelve years old.
After dropping out of college, [5] Dowling was hired by fiddler Vassar Clements to play in his touring band, and his playing can be heard on Clement's Grammy-nominated Nashville Jam album. [6] [5] He performed and recorded with jazz violin pioneer Joe Venuti and mandolinist Jethro Burns. [3] In 1991, Dowling released his first solo album, Beats Workin' , featuring Clements. [7] Dowling won a Grammy Award for his solo work on Henry Mancini: Pink Guitar. He designed the El Trovador guitar for National Reso-Phonic Guitars. [8] Dowling was a guest on A Prairie Home Companion. [9]
While in Nashville, Dowling has written songs that were recorded by artists such as Emmylou Harris, Kathy Mattea, Claire Lynch, Del McCoury and George Fox. A recording of his song Backtrackin' by The Nashville Bluegrass Band [7] was nominated Bluegrass Song of the Year in 1994 by the International Bluegrass Music Association. [7]
Dowling lives in Wyoming with his wife Jan. [7] [10] Dowling spends some of his free time as a guitar instructor where he also releases material on Homespun Tapes. [11]