Leo Kottke

Leo Kottke stood among John Fahey and Robbie Basho as one of the acoustic guitar's most pivotal figures to surface during the 1960s, introducing an unmistakable tonal palette and technical brilliance to the instrument. Although vocal and songwriting efforts also appear in his catalog, the driving fingerstyle approach of his unaccompanied instrumental pieces established him as a genuine pioneer. Following the release of the 1972 standout 6- and 12-String Guitar on the independent Takoma imprint, he experienced widespread commercial exposure across the 1970s through associations with Capitol and Chrysalis. Hand ailments that persisted into the next decade prompted a move toward a subtler, classically influenced technique, positioning him by the 1990s as an established veteran with a devoted following. His output alternated between vocal, ensemble-driven projects and purely instrumental sets such as the 1999 album One Guitar, No Vocals. Later he embraced partnership, issuing multiple duo recordings with Phish's Mike Gordon. Following a 14-year absence from new material, he resurfaced in 2020 alongside Gordon for Noon, marking their third joint effort.

Born September 11, 1945, in Athens, Georgia, Kottke grew up across 12 states and encountered diverse musical traditions early on, experimenting with violin and trombone before taking up guitar at age 11. Drawn to the country-blues of Mississippi John Hurt, he suffered substantial hearing loss in his left ear after a firecracker incident; subsequent Naval Reserve service then inflicted permanent damage to his right ear during target practice. Released from duty because of the impairment, he attended college yet soon withdrew to travel the country as a wandering performer. Settling eventually in the Twin Cities region, he became a regular presence on local folk stages. His first album, Twelve String Blues, appeared in 1969 as a live recording made at Minneapolis' Scholar Coffee House and issued by the small Oblivion label. After forwarding 1970's Circle 'Round the Sun to guitarist John Fahey, he secured representation from Fahey's manager Denny Bruce, who obtained a Capitol contract.

The 1971 major-label debut Mudlark placed him somewhat awkwardly within the singer/songwriter category despite his preference for instrumental work; the liner notes to 1972's 6- and 12-String Guitar on Fahey's Takoma label even characterized his singing as "geese farts on a muggy day." Despite ongoing conflicts with executives and Bruce, Kottke thrived on Capitol, as evidenced by 1972's Greenhouse and the 1973 live sets My Feet Are Smiling and Ice Water, which incorporated guest musicians and eclectic covers spanning folk, rock, jazz, and bluegrass while refining his forceful fingerpicking command. Chewing Pine reached the U.S. Top 50 in 1975 and helped cultivate an international audience through appearances at folk festivals worldwide. The self-titled 1976 album marked his shift to Chrysalis, though later releases such as 1978's Burnt Lips, 1979's Balance, and 1980's Live in Europe posted declining sales. After the 1983 T-Bone Burnett-produced Time Step, his Chrysalis tenure concluded and he moved to the independent Private Music label.

His formidable technique, combined with steady recording and touring, produced chronic hand pain that began limiting his playing by the mid-1980s. His early Private Music years therefore coincided with a transition toward classical guitar methods. Output slowed as well, so that after the contemplative 1986 album A Shout Toward Noon he did not return to the studio until Regards from Chuck Pink in 1988. He also curtailed live work sharply, embracing his status as a cult artist. Between 1989 and 1991 he issued an album each year, moving from My Father's Face through That's What to Great Big Boy, the last featuring Lyle Lovett. Two years later Peculiaroso arrived under Rickie Lee Jones' production. The solo One Guitar, No Vocals followed in 1999, yet the 2002 collaboration Clone with Phish bassist Mike Gordon drew particular notice. This playful encounter between two idiosyncratic musicians initiated an occasional partnership. He issued the solo Try and Stop Me in 2004 before reuniting with Gordon the following year for Sixty Six Steps. Thereafter he largely withdrew from public view, performing only sporadically and releasing no further recordings until 2020, when he and Gordon reconvened for their third project, the eccentric yet darker-toned Noon.