Davy Knowles

Davy Knowles was born on April 30, 1987, in Port St Mary, Isle of Man. His musical interest began at age 11 after hearing Dire Straits’ “Sultans of Swing,” inspiring him to teach himself guitar. Growing up, he was influenced by blues musicians like Rory Gallagher, Eric Clapton, and Robert Johnson, and also incorporated Celtic musical elements due to his proximity to Ireland. Knowles briefly took guitar lessons but primarily self-taught. He attended Castle Rushen High School, where he met future bandmates.

Knowles formed the blues-rock band Back Door Slam around 2003/2004. After an early lineup change due to a tragic accident, the band reformed with Davy Knowles, Jamie Armstrong, and Ross Doyle. Following Armstrong’s departure for college, Adam Jones joined as bassist. The band gained recognition for their debut album, “Roll Away,” released on June 26, 2007, which reached number 7 on the Blues Billboard Chart. Back Door Slam performed at notable festivals such as South by Southwest, Coachella, Lollapalooza, and Bonnaroo Music Festival, where they filmed their first concert DVD, “Back Door Slam: Live from Bonnaroo.” In early 2009, the band disbanded, allowing members to pursue individual careers.

Following the breakup of Back Door Slam, Knowles launched his solo career under the name “Davy Knowles and Back Door Slam.” On June 16, 2009, he released his first solo album, “Coming Up For Air,” which reached number 2 on the Billboard Blues Albums Chart twice in July 2009. Knowles toured extensively, opening for Jeff Beck in April 2009 and Joe Satriani and Chickenfoot later that year. He released his second solo album, “The Outsider,” in 2014, followed by “Three Miles From Avalon” in 2016, which charted at number 5 on the Billboard Blues Albums Chart. In 2017, Knowles joined Band Of Friends, celebrating the music of Rory Gallagher, and in February 2020, he signed with Provogue Records. His album “What Happens Next” was released in October 2021, and the single “Roll Me” was recognized by Spotify as a top blues song of the year. His latest albums include “If I Should Wander” (2023) and “The Invisible Man” (2024).