Knowles first learned accordion, then ukulele, transposing the accordion keyboard to the ukulele fretboard. He studied guitar in high school, then attended
Texas Christian University, where he received a degree in physics while playing guitar in his free time. Knowles is a C.G.P. (Certified Guitar Player), a title
Chet Atkins gave to fingerstyle guitarists he admired. The others are
Tommy Emmanuel,
Marcel Dadi,
Jerry Reed, and
Steve Wariner. Four of the CGP had their titles formalized by the CAAS (Chet Atkins Appreciation Society): Knowles, Emmanuel, Wariner, and Reed. After Atkins's death, his daughter gave a posthumous CGP to
Paul Yandell, Atkins's guitar partner. ==Honors==