Davy Knowles (born 30 April 1987) is a Manx blues guitarist and singer. Knowles currently tours as a solo artist, but is formerly of the blues-rock band Back Door Slam, as well as working under the name Davy Knowles and Back Door Slam for a short period of time. With Back Door Slam, he played lead guitar and sang on their debut album, Roll Away. After a split-up with bassist Adam Jones and drummer Ross Doyle, Knowles released the first and only album under the name Davy Knowles and Back Door Slam, Coming Up for Air, on 19 May 2009. Knowles drew his musical influences from blues musicians that he grew up listening to such as Dire Straits, Peter Green, and Eric Clapton's Cream. Due to his home country's proximity to Ireland, Knowles has stated that his music also is influenced by the Celtic genre, which is noted to be present in the song "Roll Away". In April 2009, Knowles toured with British guitarist Jeff Beck on his American tour, where he was the opening act. He toured with Joe Satriani and Chickenfoot in the United States through December 2009. Davy Knowles toured with The Rhythm Devils in 2010.
Knowles released his first solo album, The Outsider, in 2014. He released his second solo album, Three Miles From Avalon, in 2016, while his third, What Happens Next, is currently scheduled for October 22, 2021. He is currently based out of Chicago, Illinois and continues to tour in the United States regularly.
Early life
Knowles was born in Port St Mary, Isle of Man. At age 11, Knowles first became interested in music when he heard Dire Straits's "Sultans of Swing" during a car ride with his father. Promptly, he took his father's guitar and learned how to play the song by ear. As Knowles grew older, he was influenced by other artists like Dire Straits that he found in his father's music collection such as Rory Gallagher, Eric Clapton, and Robert Johnson.
As a child, Knowles briefly took guitar lessons, but did not prefer the traditional way of learning how to play. After he stopped taking lessons he taught himself. Knowles attended Castle Rushen High School in Castletown, Isle of Man, where he met future bandmates Brian Garvey, Ross Doyle, Adam Jones, and Jamie Armstrong.
Musical career
Back Door Slam
Back Door Slam is the name of the blues rock band started by Davy Knowles on the Isle of Man in 2003/4. The band got its name from a Robert Cray song of the same name. Originally a four piece, with Castle Rushen High School friends Jamie Armstrong (bass guitar), Ross Doyle (drums) and Brian Garvey (rhythm guitar), the band was torn apart in 2004 when Brian was killed in a car accident along with their close friend Richie Brookes.
Deciding to carry on in Brian's memory, Davy, Jamie and Ross reformed the band, with Davy writing the emotional tribute to his friend & former bandmate, 'Stay', which was later to appear on a rare EP and on their debut album Roll Away. The band originally played only local shows around their hometown area of Port St. Mary. Shortly after, Armstrong quit the band to attend college in England, so Knowles brought in bassist and high school friend Adam Jones to replace him. In 2006, the band began to write their first record, with Knowles writing every song on the album with the exception of their cover of Blind Joe Reynolds' "Outside Woman Blues". On 26 June 2007, Knowles and Back Door Slam released their debut album, Roll Away. Knowles played lead guitar (both electric and acoustic) and sang the lead throughout the whole album.
In 2008, after their first album released and was at number 7 on the Blues Billboard Chart, Knowles and Back Door Slam gained exposure at the South by Southwest Festival, Coachella, and Lollapalooza. At the Bonnaroo Music Festival in Manchester, Tennessee, Knowles and the band shot their first concert DVD, Back Door Slam: Live from Bonnaroo.
Early in 2009, Knowles unexpectedly released a statement from the band, stating that they had split up, and each of the band's members were going to begin to pursue their own separate careers in music. "After much thought and soul searching, we have reached the painful decision that we should part ways at this time," said Knowles in a statement on the band's website. "The decision was the hardest of our lives, but it's one we believe had to be made for each of us to move forward creatively and musically," he added.