A one-time preacher who has logged long hours onstage at Nashville's Grand Ole Opry backing country graybeards such as Grandpa Jones (Hee Haw), Chet Atkins, Merle Travis, and Tennessee Ernie Ford, Doyle Dykes is a skilled acoustic guitarist who integrates elements of folk, classical, pop, gospel, and jazz into likeable, refined instrumental works. Popular in Europe, Dykes leans far more heavily on structure and melody (and less on introspection and experimentation) than other fingerpickering proponents in the Windham Hill fraternity, most notably Michael Hedges and Alex de Grassi. Dykes's sound, in comparison, is almost entirely different; it offers a cozier, sweeter savor, though it exudes a level of sophistication and complexity that elevates his tunes a notch above typical easy-listening fare. The Jacksonville, Florida, native wisely soft-shoes his overtly spiritual instincts and instead delivers an agreeable, densely chorded package that can easily appeal to secular ears. Highlights: Dykes's thoughtful interpretation of "The Lord's Prayer," the homey panache of "Nothing's Too Good for a Friend," and the earnest, finger-flying energy heard on "Angel's Desire." --Terry Wood
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