A Breath of Fresh Air June 20

Dave Hole is Australia’s premier internationally successful bluesman and a highly acclaimed slide guitar virtuoso. He first burst onto the international scene in 1991 with “Short Fuse Blues”, the first of his seven albums released on the prestigious Alligator Records label.  He is widely regarded as one of the all-time slide guitar greats whose playing is infused with the spirit of such legends as Elmore James, Duane Allman and Johnny Winter. Nine successful albums and countless tours of the U.S. and Europe have solidified Dave’s stature as one of the very best slide guitarists playing today. 

Dave grew up in Western Australia where he was isolated and somewhat lonely. He sought solace in music via the family radio and by the age of eleven had convinced his parents to buy him his first guitar.  He was immediately smitten and so began a lifelong passion for music.

On leaving school Dave completed a degree in physics but by 1974 he was playing music full time. In 1976 he broke the little finger of his left hand playing Australian Rules football. The mishap led him to adopt his unusual slide guitar technique, one which caught the eye and ears of the American public and turned the musician into a highly sought after player.

The press gave him rave reviews reporting him as “Magnificent, staggering, almost beyond belief…” Almost overnight, Dave Hole became an international phenomenon.

Hole was soon gigging non-stop across America and Europe, leaving audiences spellbound wherever he went. And it wasn’t just the critics who were paying attention. Metallica’s Kirk Hammett names Dave Hole as one of his favourite guitarists, saying “His slide playing kills me. He plays so fast, and his phrasing, intonation and tone are perfect”.