Uptown Blues (American Roots Guitar)

When the late, great Vassar Clements heard Mike Dowling play guitar back in 1975 he did the sensible thing. He hired him. Mike was the guitarist in Vassar's first touring band and can be heard on his Grammy-nominated “Nashville Jam”. Clements called him simply, “One of the finest guitarists there is, anywhere.” Echoing that sentiment is an ever-growing chorus of music critics, guitar students, and acoustic music fans from throughout the world.

Mike digs deep into the musical bag of American roots guitar, favoring the melodic Piedmont style of acoustic blues masters like Mississippi John Hurt and slide great Tampa Red. But Mike can't be pigeonholed as a blues player, or even as a fingerstylist. He's far too versatile for that. From bottleneck blues to vintage jazz and much more in between, Mike's musicality, depth, and mastery of the instrument translates fluently to flattop, archtop, and resonator guitars alike.

Performer, composer, instructor, session artist, inventor - everything guitarist Mike Dowling does reflects his love for and mastery of the instrument that has been the focus of his life for over forty years.

In his lessons, Mike opens up the uptown blues bag for you: relaxed Piedmont fingerpicking, a steady alternating-thumb bass, swinging single-note runs and the slide and bottleneck moves that give American roots guitar its soul - taught with the same feeling he injects into every note.

“An excellent instrumentalist who's comfortable with a wide range of musical styles. He injects feeling into every word and note.”
--Hit List, Acoustic Guitar

“Dowling is a fluid and precise guitarist and his gritty vocals have a sense of playfulness and bounce that's very appealing.”
--Dirty Linen