Leo Kottke

Saturday, May 14, 2022 at 8:00pm at Emelin Theatre

Leo Kottke is arguably one of the most important and influential acoustic steel-string fingerstyle guitarists of the 20th century. Highly innovative, Kottke is known for his compelling original compositions as well as his arrangements of cover songs, like the captivating medley of “Mockingbird Hill” — a hit for both Patti Page and Les Paul & Mary Ford — and Duane Allman’s “Little Martha,” which he performed on NPR.

During his career, Kottke has collaborated with a wide range of musicians, from Chet Atkins to Procul Harum to the Violent Femmes, and most notably Phish bassist Mike Gordon. Kottke has recorded an extensive catalog that has inspired countless guitarists including such fingerstyle innovators as the late, great Michael Hedges, Preston Reed, Peppino D’Agostino and Don Ross. His debut LP, 6 & 12 String Guitar, has been reissued on CD three times since its 1969 release.

Kottke has been awarded two GRAMMY award nominations; a Doctorate in Music Performance by the Peck School of Music at the U of Wisconsin, Milwaukee; and a Certificate of Significant Achievement in Not Playing the Trombone from the U of Texas at Brownsville with Texas Southmost College.