Doyle Dykes – The Most Amazing Country Music Guitar Player Ever!
Fingerstyle guitarist Doyle Dykes is unequivocally one of today’s brightest shining megastars inside the arena of fingerstyle acoustic guitar! In an era where indulgent, new age droning has become pass?, Dykes has breathed new life into the form of contemporary acoustic fingerstyle guitar songs – merging flamenco fire, cascading natural and artificial harmonics, virtuosic flamenco tremolos, blazing single note riffs, and southern alternating bass notes into a form of all too scarce steel string ascendancy! But he is not just another in your face technician. Doyle is also an educator who has published collection books of his country guitar tabs and country guitar tablatures. His arrangements overflow with intense originality and his solo guitar pieces of standard hymns are ample enough to transform even the most jaded listener! In a nutshell, Doyle draws deeply from his well of spiritual and musical influences and pours out crisp tunes which both transfixes our ears and captivates our hearts.
But Doyle Dykes’ ride to relative stardom has not been overnight. Raised in Jacksonville, Florida, Dykes was surrounded by a musical family. Getting his first guitar in his early teens, he quickly went to work figuring out solos from his preferred records by guitarists Chet Atkins and Merle Travis. Though he flirted with the vocalist/songwriter mode of expression, Dykes felt the strongest resonance when playing unaccompanied fingerstyle acoustic guitar. In his mid-teens, he added the banjo to his repertoire and peppered his already incredible guitar playing with banjo techniques – merging frailing and rapid fire chromatic single note runs. He eventually joined and toured with a gospel group known as “The Crusaders” and afterwards took a job traveling with “The Stamps” – Elvis Presley’s former backup group.
Disenchanted with some of the backstage antics and life on the road Doyle returned home to Jacksonville, got a day job, and married Rita his high school sweetheart.Though Dykes settled into a 9 to five lifestyle, Providence was lurking around the corner putting in motion a chain reaction of ripe opportunities. “Hee Haw” senior statesman Grandpa Jones was performing at a concert close to Doyle’s hometown and invited him to play. Dykes lost no time in trying out for Grandpa’s group and was immediately hired. This was Doyle’s first connection to the Grand Ole Opry where he later on shared the stage with quite a few of his long time heroes including Chet Atkins, Merle Travis, and Tennessee Ernie Ford.
Feeling restless, Doyle Dykes sensed his church roots beckoning. With the blessing of Grandpa Jones, he left to start his own ministry as a pastor in Jacksonville – while at the same time playing occasional tour dates. He quickly recognized that his instrumental fingerstyle acoustic guitar music was having an impact on individuals so he dedicated himself to ministering solely via his six string acoustic – playing stunning solo renditions of such hymns as “Amazing Grace” and “The Lord’s Prayer”. Nonetheless, Dykes soon grew to become frustrated yet again as he found preaching to the choir too confining. He sought to minister, yet desired a larger audience. One night, while pouring his heart out in prayer, Doyle told God that he desired to be a musician, not a preacher/evangelist. “I felt a presence in the room,” Dykes recounts, “and a very warm feeling came over me which let me understand this was going to happen.”
‘Happen’ is indeed a great word to describe what has been going on in Doyle Dykes’ life since that momentous day! Offers have been pouring in, not the least of which have been a recording contract with Windham Hill Records and an endorsement with Taylor Guitars. By means of his experience, Dykes says he has realized the value of being precise in prayer – realizing that for God to take our prayers seriously, we need to consider them seriously. Fortunately for aspiring guitarists, Doyle has released several fingerstyle acoustic guitar tab books and instructional DVD programs that teach his solo guitar pieces and the techniques he utilizes to play them.
Peabody Conservatory trained guitarist Steven Herron helps guitar players become better guitarists. His company ChordMelody.com features an enormous selection of country guitar tablatures as well as instructional DVDs by Doyle Dykes himself. Find out more and claim Steven’s popular free monthly guitar lesson e-course available at: =>
Doyle Dykes guitar tabs
Processing your request, Please wait....
