{{short description|American songwriter}}
'''Mike Dowling''' is an American roots music guitarist and songwriter who is best known for his solo arrangements on the Grammy Award-winning composition CD ''Henry Mancini: Pink Guitar''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cbn.com/entertainment/music/Grammy2005_winners.aspx|title=Complete List of the 47th Annual Grammy Award Winners|publisher=Christian Broadcasting Network|accessdate=August 14, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Pink Guitar |url=http://www.accentonmusic.com/cd_detail.asp?qID=139 |website=Accenton Music |publisher=Accenton Music |accessdate=14 August 2018}}</ref><ref name ="freed">{{cite web |title=Guitarist Dowling debuts in Woodstock |url=http://www.dailyfreeman.com/article/DF/20071012/NEWS/310129964 |website=Daily Freeman |publisher=Daily Freeman |accessdate=14 August 2018}}</ref> In 2005, Dowling was ranked as one of the twelve best fingerstyle guitarists in the United States.<ref>{{cite web |title=ADVANCED FINGERSTYLE WORKSHOP with Teja Gerken |url=https://pegheadnation.com/string-school/courses/advanced-fingerstyle-workshop/ |website=Peghead Nation |publisher=Peghead Nation |accessdate=14 August 2018}}</ref>
==Early life==
Dowling was raised in Wisconsin<ref name="freed"/> before moving to Nashville. He learned about song structures while taking piano lessons when he was ten years old.<ref name="merdow">{{cite web |title=Fingerstyle guitarist Mike Dowling plays Pacifica |url=https://www.mercurynews.com/2014/01/28/fingerstyle-guitarist-mike-dowling-plays-pacifica/ |website=Mercury News |publisher=Mercury News |accessdate=14 August 2018}}</ref> Dowling got his first guitar when he was twelve years old.
==Career== After dropping out of college,<ref name="merdow"/> Dowling was hired by fiddler Vassar Clements to play in his touring band, and his playing can be heard on Clement's Grammy-nominated ''Nashville Jam'' album.<ref>{{cite web |title=Vassar Clements |url=https://www.grammy.com/artists/vassar-clements/1723 |website=Grammys |publisher=Grammys |access-date=14 August 2018}}</ref><ref name="merdow"/> He performed and recorded with jazz violin pioneer Joe Venuti and mandolinist Jethro Burns.<ref name="freed"/> In 1991, Dowling released his first solo album, ''Beats Workin' '', featuring Clements.<ref name="accou2">{{cite web |title=Interview With Mike Dowling |url=http://www.acousticfingerstyle.com/dowling.htm |website=Acoustic Finger Style |publisher=Acoustic Finger Style |accessdate=14 August 2018}}</ref> Dowling won a Grammy Award for his solo work on ''Henry Mancini: Pink Guitar''. He designed the El Trovador guitar for National Reso-Phonic Guitars.<ref>{{cite web |title=Dowling trio stages Winship, Round |url=http://aarondavismusic.com/2012/11/music-box-dowling-trio-stages-winship-round/ |website=Aaron Davis Music |publisher=Aaron Davis Music |accessdate=14 August 2018}}</ref> Dowling was a guest on A Prairie Home Companion.<ref>{{cite web |title=Putting on the Style |url=https://www.prairiehome.org/shows/47462.html |website=Prairie Home Companion |publisher=Prairie Home Companion |accessdate=14 August 2018}}</ref>
==Songwriting== While in Nashville, Dowling has written songs that were recorded by artists such as Emmylou Harris, Kathy Mattea, Claire Lynch, Del McCoury and George Fox. A recording of his song Backtrackin' by The Nashville Bluegrass Band<ref name="accou2"/> was nominated Bluegrass Song of the Year in 1994 by the International Bluegrass Music Association.<ref name="accou2"/>
==Personal life== Dowling lives in Wyoming with his wife Jan.<ref name="accou2"/><ref>{{cite web |title=Friends organize fundraiser for Jackson musician with Parkinson's |url=https://trib.com/lifestyles/home-and-garden/friends-organize-fundraiser-for-jackson-musician-with-parkinson-s/article_82603470-f938-5bc9-be90-21297a869e80.html |website=Star Tribune |publisher=Star Tribune |accessdate=14 August 2018}}</ref> Dowling spends some of his free time as a guitar instructor where he also releases material on Homespun Tapes.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Dowling |first1=Mike |title=Acoustic Masterclass Series: Mike Dowling -- Uptown Blues (American Roots Guitar) |date=2004 |publisher=Alfred Music |isbn=0-7579-1530-2 |edition= Pap/Com }}</ref>
==Discography== * ''Swamp Dog Blues'' (Strictly Country, 1995) * ''Beats Workin' '' (Strictly Country, 1996) * ''Live at the Cafe Carpe'' with Randy Sabien (Fiddlehead Music, 1996) * ''String Crazy'' (Wind River Guitar, 2000) * ''Two of a Kind'' with Pat Donohue (Solid Air, 2001) * ''Bottomlands'' (Solid Air, 2001) * ''Blue Fandango'' (Wind River Guitar, 2005) * ''Henry Mancini: Pink Guitar'' (2004) * ''The Blues Ain't News'' (Wind River Guitar, 2008) * ''Eclectricity'' with David Lange (Wind River Guitar, 2011) * ''Tracks'' (Wind River Guitar, 2015)
==References== {{Reflist}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Dowling, Mike}} Category:Living people Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:American male guitarists Category:American blues guitarists Category:American folk guitarists Category:American fingerstyle guitarists Category:Musicians from Wisconsin Category:Songwriters from Wisconsin Category:American male songwriters