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Leo Kottke
Along with John Fahey and Robbie Basho, Leo Kottke was one of the most influential acoustic guitarists to emerge in the 1960s, bringing a unique sound and virtuosic flourishes to the instrument. Although he has also recorded as a singer/songwriter, the propulsive fingerstyle playing of his solo instrumental work has cemented his reputation as a true innovator. After delivering the 1972 gem 6- and 12-string guitar for the independent Takoma label, Kottke enjoyed a period of mainstream attention throughout the '70s with tenures on Capitol and Chrysalis. In the following decade, lingering hand injuries caused him to shift to a more nuanced, classical-informed picking style, and he entered the '90s as a respected veteran artist with a built-in cult audience. He continued to veer between vocal, band-oriented releases and solo instrumental albums like 1999's One Guitar, No Vocals. In the latter part of his career, Kottke found inspiration in collaboration and recorded several albums as a duo with Phish's Mike Gordon. After an extended 14-year hiatus, he returned in 2020, again working with Gordon on Noon, their third album together.