John Dowling is a British banjo player from Cornwall, England, who won the National Bluegrass Banjo Championship at Winfield, Kansas, in 2002, at 21. Through 2025, he is the only player from outside the United States to win it. He has since taken the banjo into jazz and classical music, taught on BBC television, and written a banjo method for Faber Music.
Why Dowling matters
Every other Winfield banjo champion has come from the United States. Dowling’s playing also points somewhere new. Bluegrass Today called it “innovative and always in good taste.” Tony Trischka has named him one of his favorite banjo players.
Life and career
Dowling was born in Cornwall. He started music at 5 and got his first banjo at 14. In 2000 he won the BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Award with his band, Black Cat Theory. In 2002 he won Winfield.
In 2007 he was a master class tutor on the BBC1 show Play It Again, alongside Mark Knopfler, Jools Holland, and Courtney Pine. He was one of comedian Frank Skinner’s banjo tutors on the show. Around that time he taught Saturday banjo classes at The Brindley in Runcorn.
In 2016 he played banjo on Cornish singer Will Keating’s debut album. That same year he released The Chapel Sessions, an album of banjo duets with Dan Walsh. He and Keating have played across Cornwall since, including a sold-out show at the Minack Theatre in 2021. Dowling recorded and produced Keating’s 2020 EP, Gyllyngdune. He has toured the UK and Europe, co-owns a banjo company, and teaches lessons online. He is based in Cornwall.
Playing style
Dowling started with traditional bluegrass tunes, then moved into contemporary songs, jazz, and classical concertos he arranges for banjo. He prefers an understated sound and favors the structured practice of classical and jazz players. He also plays slide banjo.
Legacy and teaching
Dowling wrote The Contemporary Banjo Player for Faber Music. The book covers bluegrass basics, then branches into other styles. He has been a professional teacher for more than 15 years.
Essential recordings
The Chapel Sessions, with Dan Walsh (2016) Cornwall My Home (Kernow Ow Thre), Will Keating, with Dowling on banjo Gyllyngdune, Will Keating (2020), recorded and produced by Dowling.
Awards and honors
BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Award, with Black Cat Theory (2000) National Bluegrass Banjo Championship, Walnut Valley Festival, first place (2002).
Watch and listen
Dowling plays the Presto from Vivaldi’s concerto RV 253 on banjo.
Dowling plays Whelk Bone on slide banjo.
What to learn from Dowling
Practice like a classical player. Dowling favors set, structured practice over noodling. Learn bluegrass first, then bring a jazz standard or a classical melody to the banjo.
Sources
John Dowling (musician), Wikipedia John Dowling, Cornish National Music Archive Bluegrass banjo meets mainstream TV, Bluegrass Today (2007) Will Keating and John Dowling, Cornwall365 (2024) The Contemporary Banjo Player, Ackerman Music The Chapel Sessions, Elderly Instruments John Dowling interview, Last Minute Musicians (2014) Walnut Valley Festival winners archive, chronological (PDF)
Related players
See the banjo players hub and the bluegrass banjo guide for more pickers. Tony Trischka counts Dowling among his favorite players. Mike Sumner won Winfield the year before Dowling, and Steve Lewis won the year after.