Davy Knowles in Parker Press Park opening act Iain Matthews

Whether playing acoustic, mandolin, national steel, or screaming electric guitar, Davy Knowles has an unmistakable style.
Since bursting on to the scene with his band Back Door Slam’s critically acclaimed album ‘Roll Away’ in 2007 (“I heard the spirit of Jimi Hendrix” Patrick McDonald - Seattle Times), Davy’s star has only risen. His sophomore release ‘Coming Up For Air’ was produced by the legendary Peter Frampton (“Davy already has a recognizable style. He’s definitely the gunslinger guitarist of the 21st century,’’- Peter Frampton), with subsequent tours seeing him supporting and sharing the stage with acts such as Jeff Beck, The Who, Joe Bonamassa, Kid Rock, Lynyrd Skynyrd, George Thorogood, Brian Setzer, the Sammy Hagar-fronted supergroup Chickenfoot, and guitar hero Joe Satriani who called Davy “My favorite modern Bluesman”.
Knowles has several top-5 Billboard Blues charting albums under his belt, high profile TV appearances (Jimmy Kimmel Live and CBS Good Morning America among others), and has been praised with high accolades from heroes and press alike - but it’s not just the music industry who has taken note. Knowles was also the very first artist in history to perform live to the International Space Station directly from mission control in Houston TX, and has had his music taken to the Space Station by two astronauts, Nicole Stott and Ron Garan, on their respective missions orbiting Earth.
Never one to be satisfied or to sit still, Knowles has explored multiple genres and styles, from the hard-hitting 70’s classic rock influenced album ‘Three Miles From Avalon’, to the haunting acoustic delta blues of ‘1932’, and the sweet, soul-searching folk of 2023’s ‘If I Should Wander’.
Whether spending an evening onstage armed with just an acoustic guitar, or wielding his well worn and trusty Telecaster while fronting his blues/rock trio - and at any point in between the two - Davy Knowles is one of the most versatile and formidable songwriters, vocalists and musicians in the world today. A true artist in every sense of the word.
Iain Matthews
first gained attention as a founding member and vocalist for the innovative Fairport Convention’s first three albums, changing the voice of folk music in his country. He moved on to create Matthews’ Southern Comfort, exploring his interest in American music. They had a No 1 hit in Europe with Joni Mitchell’s ‘Woodstock’.
During the early 1980’s Matthews turned towards the business side of music as a rep for Island Records, (an A&R man) but was persuaded by Robert Plant of Led Zeppelin to get back to making music. During this period he recorded a wonderful version of Peter Gabriel’s ‘Mercy Street”, contributed to a Phil Ochs’s Tribute album and recorded plus toured with Nanci Griffith. His current tour is featuring songs from Fairport Convention's Sandy Denny