Fingerstyle virtuoso Doyle Dykes is widely considered to be one of the best guitarists in the world. Though his playing showcases breathtaking speed and intricate fingerstyle arrangements, it’s Doyle’s ability to transform the acoustic guitar into an emotionally evocative tool that deeply registers with listeners.
One sign of a true artist in any performance medium is the ability to make the extremely difficult look easy without making it seem mechanical. This certainly applies to Doyle, whose stylistic versatility ranges from country to classical, and might be described as a combination of Merle Travis, Andrés Segovia, Chet Atkins, and Vince Gill. But while his writing and playing boast a level of sophistication that floors the best guitarists, Doyle’s music comes across with a natural, free-flowing directness and a simple grace that make it accessible to anyone with ears and an open heart.
Doyle’s early years as a guitarist were devoted to performing on the church circuit, where he gained widespread recognition as one of the most inspirational artists in Christian music. He toured around the world with The Stamps Quartet (gospel) and later with Grand Ole Opry star Grandpa Jones. Doyle has since performed on the Opry on many occasions, and many of those performances were televised nationally. When Chet Atkins passed away in 2000, the Opry contacted Doyle and asked him to close a special tribute show in honor of the late guitar legend. That program was also aired nationally and rebroadcast numerous times.
In addition to Chet Atkins, Doyle has shared the stage with Les Paul, Duane Eddy, Peter Frampton, John Fogerty, Vince Gill, and many others. He has performed in venues ranging from theaters and festivals to churches and major conventions. His music has been heard on NPR’s “Morning Edition” and “All Things Considered,” Disney’s California Adventure, United Airlines, and even the Space Shuttle Atlantis. Doyle is highly regarded in the UK as well, having performed and been interviewed on the BBC, as well as receiving a coveted brick in the Wall of Fame at the fabled Cavern Club in Liverpool.
Doyle became a Taylor Guitars clinician in 1995 and since then has done hundreds of Taylor workshops at music dealerships across the U.S., Canada and abroad. In 2000, Taylor introduced the Doyle Dykes Signature Model (DDSM) guitar, which Doyle helped to design. Taylor Guitars is proud to help take Doyle’s gorgeous melodic flair, phenomenal phrasing, whimsical embellishments, blazing speed, and piano-like arrangements to a broader audience worldwide.