Two-time Grammy nominee and legendary singer/songwriter Leo Kottke returns The Sheldon with his acoustic guitar and trademark tales of life on the road. Born in Athens, Georgia and raised in 12 different states, Kottke absorbed a variety of musical influences as a child, flirting with both violin and trombone, before abandoning Stravinsky for the guitar at age 11.
With a love for everything from the country-blues of Mississippi John Hurt to the music of John Phillip Sousa and Preston Epps, Kottke joined the Navy. Discharged in 1964, he settled in the Twin Cities area and became a fixture at Minneapolis’ Scholar Coffeehouse, which had been home to Bob Dylan and John Koerner. He then issued his 1968 recording debut LP Twelve String Blues.
Kottke’s 1971 major-label debut, Mudlark, positioned him somewhat uneasily in the singer/songwriter vein, despite his own wishes to remain an instrumental performer. Kottke flourished during his tenure on Capitol, as records like 1972’s Greenhouse and 1973’s live My Feet Are Smiling and Ice Water found him branching out with guest musicians and honing his guitar technique. A consummate touring musician, Kottke went on to tour internationally for the next 30 years, continuing to collaborate with artists along the way including Phish bassist Mike Gordon and singer/songwriter Keller Williams.
Leo Kottke has been awarded a Doctorate in Music Performance by the Peck School of Music at the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee; and a Certificate of Significant Achievement in Not Playing the Trombone from the University of Texas at Brownsville with Texas Southmost College.
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