Leo Kottke (born in 1945) is a fingerstyle guitarist based in Minneapolis who mostly plays solo, alternating between his 6- and 12-string guitars. Singing occasionally, he also entertains audiences with humorous anecdotes and monologues. Kottke’s virtuosity on the guitar is always balanced by his musicality, both blending to make steel-string guitars sing. He once explained that music and scuba diving had something in common: you feel as if floating freely surrounded by beauty.
As a boy, Kottke learned to play trombone and violin, but moved on to the guitar and invented an original picking style. Later, while he was in the Naval Reserve, his already damaged hearing was further impaired by explosions. After getting his discharge from the Navy, Kottke busked his way from state to state and finally settled in Minnesota. His debut album, 12-String Blues, was released in 1969 on an independent record label. The same year, he recorded 6- and 12-String Guitar for John Fahey’s Takoma Records. Destined to become his iconic work, it was re-released on various labels through the years. In 1971, Kottke recorded Mudlark for Capitol, which was followed by Greenhouse and five other albums. The last one, Chewing Pine, lead to his move to Chrysalis Records in 1976. By then, his performances at folk festivals had grown his international audience.