Mike Dawes
Mike Dawes is an English fingerstyle guitarist who brings melodies, bass lines and percussion together on one acoustic guitar, through original music, inventive covers and live performances.
At 100 nudges, fangea sends Mike’s team an official invite.
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Latest
Mike’s happenings, collected from public sources, plus their backstory and Starbook, where fans write.
Known for
Overview
- From
- England
- Creates
- Fingerstyle guitar music, arrangements and guitar lessons
- First guitar
- An electric guitar for a 12th birthday
- Breakout
- A solo guitar arrangement of Gotye’s Somebody That I Used to Know
Mini bio
How it started.
Mike’s parents bought a cream Squier Telecaster for a 12th birthday. Inspired by Slash, Mike traded it for a sunburst Epiphone Les Paul. The first acoustic guitar, a Taylor 214 from the same shop, came later.
Finding an audience.
A solo arrangement of Gotye’s Somebody That I Used to Know became Mike’s breakout online release. The approach lets listeners hear melody, accompaniment and percussion from a single guitar. Original pieces such as The Impossible sit alongside those familiar songs.
Beyond the solo guitar.
Mike recorded Accomplice Series Vol. 3 with Tommy Emmanuel and appears on Justin Hayward’s live releases. Work as an educator includes magazine columns and masterclasses. Galactic Acid, released in August 2024, adds guests including Jenee Fleenor, Jack Gardiner and Plini.
Creditschronological, newest first
- 2024Galactic AcidAcoustic guitars; piano on track 11
- 2022Accomplice Series Vol. 3Guitarist and duet partner with Tommy Emmanuel
- 2017EraSolo artist
- 2013What Just Happened?Solo artist
Awards
Quotes
Tune up, play in time, be true to your own voice and let the music lead the technique.Mike Dawes, MusicRadar
Advice to entrants while judging Acoustic Guitarist of the Year in 2018. Source: https://www.musicradar.com/news/acoustic-guitarist-of-the-year-2018-judge-mike-dawes-im-not-looking-for-technical-im-looking-for-moving
Trivia
- Mike reached the semi-finals of Jimmy Page’s Riffathon at 13 and met Page and Brian May there.
- The necks on Mike’s custom acoustic guitars copy the specifications of that first Taylor 214, keeping the feel familiar.
- Galactic Acid credits Mike with piano as well as acoustic guitar.
Find Mike
Follow Mike for new arrangements, guitar lessons and tour dates.
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