Leo Kottke: Up tempo, Medley: Hear the wind howl / Busted bicycle, Buckaroo, Ojo, Eight miles high,

Up tempo,
Medley: Hear the wind howl / Busted bicycle,
Buckaroo,
Ojo,
Eight miles high,
The Tennessee toad

[@donpanton9250]

The magic comes from open tuning. Leo tought me a lot, just by listening, about 40 years ago. Eight miles high is most iconic.

[@margaretedie536]

I lived in Muskogee, OK for a few years in about 1959 before heading up to Cincinnati for my last 1 1/2 years before college. My parents always found some musical experiences for my brother and me even though we were frequently pulling up stakes again. So we got together with the high school music teacher - Mr. Yaden? - and he dug out a wrinkled-up baritone horn and I figured out how to play it. Leo was doing trombone, so he and I sort of made up that brass backup in the school band. Our parents also played bridge together as I recall. It was a total shock to hear his name spoken with such awe several years later ----- Margaret

[@markgottlieb2624]

Wow!!

[@JohnMcKenna]

My friend Alex Lindsay died last night. A huge UK fan of Leo, used to get his music from German stations, way back in the seventies. I flew over from Ireland to see him in the Yorkshire moors on the last night of a hippy, muddy, festival. Alex and I got right to the front, avoiding the frisbees, bottle of wine each and listened to the superb Leo. He seemed bemused/flattered at us knowing all his stuff and politely played our requests and calls for encores. Eventually Country Joe came on, seemed moody, pointed at us and shouted "Hey, you think he's %@#&ing great? Wait'll ya hear %@#&ing Me!!" Well, we gave him his best shot, but nahh. But hey, a great 'personal' performance by Leo, and being Effed at by Joe made a memorable weekend. Rest in peace, Alex.

[@DH-bs1di]

I was at a club performance many years ago, watching an amazingly talented guitarist tear it up on stage - he asked the audience if we had any requests; right away I shouted "Play some Leo Kotke!" He chuckled and said humbly "Only Leo Kotke can play Leo Kotle." The whole place fell out with (sympathetic) laughter.

[@Coolcat3]

There's a guy named Ewan Dobson who I discovered Leo little through, he covered his busted bicycle and after than I searched for the original and fell in love, I would highly recommend Ewan Dobson

[@Robnord1]

@@Coolcat3 I first heard Ewan do _Wash Away_, and was blown away with it. Then on to his cover of _Vaseline Machine Gun_ . With eyes closed, it could just have well been Leo

[@jimfladwood4393]

A wonderful complex musician who gives all✌️

[@Banzo_]

The whole place knew who Leo Kottke was? That's surprising

[@richardstraight5721]

Does anyone know if Leo ever appeared on He Haw? As I recall they would have other folk musicians like John Hartford on now and then. Can you imagine Leo and Roy Clark playing together?

[@hereigoagain5050]

I learned about Leo from listening to Al Franken's podcasts, then this dropped in my suggested videos. Thanks Google!

[@HeavyProfessor]

Busted bicycle sounds absolutely INSANE. How can one man create that sound?

[@Rhysling2]

Good lord! Thank you for preserving this.

[@lesleymorgan01]

Can't belive he's coming to itty bitty Black Mountain, NC on 5/23 - and how lucky I am to be able to finally, finally see him. Ahhhh... --anyoldwhere58

[@RayTutajjr]

I seen him several times, mainly at the Woodstock Opera House in a few Septembers, but I first seen him in Las Vegas around 1991, I think. It was in a park, and Leo showed up in an RV that parked close to the stage, he got out, entered the stage and played fantastic, of course. I regret not bringing my telephoto lens that day, but I did get some pictures with a smaller lens. As a guitar player myself, Leo was one of my biggest inspirations besides Chet Atkins. I first heard Leo on a PBS program in the very early 80's It was a huge moment for me. It was a catalyst for me and how deep I would get into finger picking guitar, even to this day. Thanks Leo.

[@stuartchuck61]

Nobody puts Leo Kottke to shame

[@MrPoodleguy]

Without a doubt, the greatest guitarist of his genre ever & 12 string artistry unmatched! I was blessed, seeing him live in Scottsdale, AZ in an Ampitheater

[@je7647]

I like him, but fahey puts him to shame

[@Ceb773]

@@je7647 I love Fahey as much as the next guy but you can't really compare Fahey to Kottke. Apples and Oranges. Also, as much as I love Fahey, he was more about the classics and about open tunings, not about 12 string and speed. (at least in the hayday)

[@auricgoldfinger8478]

I’ve seen him from Tucson to Boulder and every where in between. First time 30 years ago. Last time 6 mos ago. He is the master

[@HydraCatGaming]

The other day I sold my old seagull 12-string to an Irish fellow and he asked me to look up this guy. He left and I sat down and went through a wormhole with Leo just listening to all of his new and old stuff. all I can say is just wow what an amazing 12-string player...... the trip his music takes you on is unreal.

[@savvycha]

Bless that guy, and you for listening to him!👍🏻

[@TheMoodyBluesChat]

@@savvycha hello annie How are you doing? It's nice meeting you here!

[@GreatRecordings]

Mr. Kottke performs "8 Miles High" eight miles high. Stellar. Just stellar.

[@savvycha]

Love Mudlark w Hear The Wind Howl, Machine #2 and 8 Miles, but live is just 🚀

[@travelingcam8239]

this guy is absolutely AMAZING.

[@bertiebostock]

Hello folks, why do people have to winge ,whine and criticise so much Leo is an excellent musician playing what he wants to play. If you don't like it turn it off don't listen learn to play yourself and then PLAY US ALL A TUNE and we can all take the Peee it is really easy to crit everybody else,give it a rest be creative or will that tax the old brain cells if you have any creative one's hidden away.Bertie.

[@davidhague2840]

bertiebostock I've been playing guitar for 50 years and I'm still trying to learn some of Kottke's stuff.

[@davidhague2840]

bertiebostock I've been playing guitar for 50 years and I'm still trying to learn some of Kottke's stuff.

[@bertiebostock]

David Hague Boy do I know that feeling as a fellow from this more mature or should I say older guitar playing sufferer at times, my personal trying to learn fix is Pierre Bensusan. Cheers

[@johnbrattan9341]

Oh, Leo. An inspiration for me for many, many years. As I youngster I fell in love with his song 'Buckaroo,' which on a 6 string is relatively easy to play. On a 12, only Leo can play it like that. I still have all of his 70's LP's.

[@gutmensch9339]

Gänsehautmusik! Hatte ihn damals nicht so auf dem Radar.

[@thinwolf4516]

Leo inspired me to try to play 12 string. You think it’s hard? It’s a lot harder than you can imagine. I’m glad you saved this. This is the early arrival of an incredible genius.

[@cinemar]

A master of the guitar and a beautiful voice too? How is this possible?

[@hertzair1186]

Actually Kottke once referred to his voice as sounding like “goose farts on a muggy day”

[@cinemar]

@@hertzair1186 Well he would say that because of his bizarrely dry sense of humour.

[@SergeUnplugged]

Discovered Leo's music in 2021 and will never look back

[@uncasist]

Hendrix would have LOVED Leo and his playing!

[@danielschaeffer1294]

Paco de Lucia and John McLaughlin assuredly did!

[@jrw344]

Fahey's Takoma protege', good job John....

[@jeffcollins9995]

I got everybody to stop and really listen to the genius of Leo Kottke......which was my intent. Before I said anything, no one seemed to be paying any attention to him any longer, which I thought was ridiculous. Just trying to get the conversation going again about the man and his 12.

[@derekcosten1136]

Shut up Jeff you suck at guitar and you'll never come close to playing like this

[@derekcosten1136]

Derek Costen you couldn't even play like George Thorogood if you wanted to

[@derekcosten1136]

Derek Costen And he was drunk all the time

[@davidhague2840]

Jeff Collins He's still one of the best, even if Germans can't pronounce his name. You ought to hear the mess they make of mine...

[@davidhague2840]

Jeff Collins He's still one of the best, even if Germans can't pronounce his name. You ought to hear the mess they make of mine...

[@noisepuppet]

In the eighties he had a whole different technique, especially in the right hand, because playing as you're seeing here gave him tendinitis. So this old aggressive Leo footage is really special.

[@robertgruhlke7012]

Agreed..but tbh, I prefer the more stark, slower approach he would give ojo some years later.

[@jaygoodman2432]

So special. He’s got a little carpal tunnel now I think. Unbelievable. Heard him Play eight miles high in Santa Fe NM. He sent us to the stratosphere with that one!!

[@edwilliams9914]

Yes! I remember an interview with him talking about it being the finger picks -- great booming sound and speed but the resistance of the strings applied too much leverage to the tendons (or something -- had to do with 'hysteresis'). Loved both styles, but love the post pick style (and him slowing down just a tiny bit to allow us to hear and savor every note) a little more.

[@sullivan2339]

I've heard thousands of songs-all styles-Classical to reggae. For me: "Hear The Wind Howl" is in my top 25? or higher.

[@bruceuhing7716]

L.K....maybe is not the "best" finger picker but in 20 yrs of listening I know of no one better with a 12 string...all of his performances are nothing short of passion, and to say otherwise is out of ignorance and envy...

[@tijuanaiguana190]

Check out John butler the ocean, not saying this is bad but he's better

[@andytrimble5615]

What a stupid comment, Tijuana.

[@ajulring]

Yeah, that's just dumb.

[@DoodleOfMonk]

Just so damn good. It's the great techniques WITH the musicality that makes Leo stand out from the crowd.

[@leoasdad657]

Hi I'm from Taiwan. My English mane is "Leo" :)

[@martinkoch4332]

He is my god. My hero. My most favorite everything...ever.

[@aspensulphate]

I saw Leo in concert at Bogart's, a Cincinnati nightclub, in 1978. It couldn't have been too long after his performance in this video. Always the boomy-voiced, good-natured virtuoso, I think he was at the top of his game. (The "warm-up act" was erstwhile Cincinnati politician, Jerry Springer!)

[@thomascreek6387]

I have been to bogarts many a time, Cincinnati my whole life damn near. I would have loved to have seen Leo there, I'm jealous.

[@xXLoonoeXx]

Oh, I love Leo Kottkur

[@kingrobert1st]

Comes on stage with not one, but two 12 string acoustic guitars. This man meant business!

[@mikescaccia7864]

Got to hear Leo at the "AMAZING GRACE" In Evanston Illinois back about 72 - 73 ish along with Tim wiesberg. Sat on the floor right in front of them

[@wimmeijer695]

geweldig deze grootheid ooit nog live in junushof gezien

[@Ozoneum1]

This is really one of the nicer live clips of him out there. I think part of the genius of Leo Kottke, in addition to his lively, brilliant guitar playing and very nice voice, is his willingness to use unconventional melody lines and rhythms, like in Hear the Wind Howl. Leo Kottke...daring to go where pop music had not gone before...and may not go again for some time...

[@servraghgiorsal7382]

Leo is a true Artist and underappreciated because radio has always been kissing commercially driven ass. Ain't no rapper could put on a show like this. I heard him play with a broken ankle . He couldn't even walk from the stage, but he wouldn't quit!!!

[@evaringman79]

Wonderful! Eva in Sweden

[@Joe_J-MT_Boy]

Discovered Mr. Kottke back in the early 70's in my college years. I was pretty much addicted to guitar at the time, and Mr. Kottke made it sound interesting in a way I had never heard before. It's nice to see that over the years he hasn't lost his touch. A 12-string guitar is not an easy instrument to master, and yet he looks so comfortable while he's playing it. That lets the music come to you naturally in an unforced way... because it looks and sounds like you're witnessing magic.

[@mike9rr]

Exactly the same era a friend tipped me to him. I actually had a 12 string then. Went to see him if I could and tried to watch his hands but I just was not within a thousand miles of his abilities.

[@spacedarkstar]

Wow...great show, great performance.....

[@steveberti7060]

Very exciting Guitar picker and soooooo funny love his style

[@sej357]

I was introduced to Kottke The Mudlark album about 45 years ago by my dorm suitemate. It was love at the first hearing then. Still one of my favorites, especially his Eight Miles High which, for me, is the definitive recording of that song The Live version in your post is as close to the studio version one's ever likely to hear. Thanks for posting.

[@ramonalujan5889]

Hippie uncles=Leo Kottke Never forgot

[@danielschaeffer1294]

Yes, he really is the Jimi Hendrix of the acoustic world, and the only guitarist I ever heard who could put this much feeling into it, or build this kind of relationship with an audience, was the late and impossibly great Rory Gallagher. Leo is an institution.

[@goodun6081]

Well, Leo is certainly a "good one", though I would strongly suggest you also listen to Adrian Legg, Martin Simpson, and Richard Thompson!

[@goodun6081]

as for myself, I never really "got" Rory Galagher....

[@martinkoch4332]

He is 47,000 times better than Jimi Hendix. And Jimi was really good.

[@martinkoch4332]

Leo tops those greats...

[@djtrendsetta5766]

"I never really "got" Rory Galagher..." Really? Moonchild was a badass.

[@rd264]

he makes a sort of wall of sound like the ebb and tide of a distant river, evok'ng sad and sweet memories of a life gone bad, washed up on the flotsam tides of old age, carried to the curb of the Cosmos by Crows in 3 piece suits, with lipstick on their toes and wax in their ears..

[@thomasmartinscott]

Since the audience didn't speak English, they missed some of THE Best parts of his shows, the great stories and humor between each song.

[@isherrod13]

After hearing Basho I also wanted to hear Kottke.

[@jwardbass4452]

All of the American Primitive guitarists are far too underrated. Of all the artists I’ve listened to I believe Kottke’s one of the best of all time.

[@helenlizzystewart4908]

Ojo my absolute favourite

[@TheMoodyBluesChat]

Hello how are you doing? It's nice meeting you here!

[@billkeon880]

he played at Granville Island Vancouver tonight. Still stunning. Magic

[@somewhere59]

Kottke is the more mature artist, no doubt. This is a matter of taste...

[@jeffblanton3883]

he said his favorite technique was to take a lovely melody and drive into the ground

[@drunkdadchronicles]

he shreds

[@SAWiebe]

Saw him live around the time My Feet Are Smiling came out. He barely played anything from it, but he was so amazing I didn't care. Imagine 65 minutes of this. After the concert, my whole body was smiling.

[@TheMoodyBluesChat]

Hello dear! How are you doing? It's nice meeting you here

[@pdxrailtransit]

Can't you just imagine the German producer of Rockplast saying "ja, Leo, Nichts mit die ballads"

[@StevenParrisWard]

A great performance from "Leo Kottkull"????

[@petalchild]

It's just said with German pronunciation lol

[@りよういちこまつ]

レオコッケ最高‼️40年前からすきでした。

[@patriciakreger440]

Luv this performance !

[@brianwatson5631]

Genius

[@missellendiane]

pure genius- xx

[@charlespeterson3798]

Never heard Mr. Kottke use a laughing track. That's what gigs in Germany do you.

[@hertzair1186]

Imagine one day back in the late 60’s……he may have showed up at your coffee shop…”mind if I play for tips?”

[@jack002tuber]

Excellent vid, thanks for posting!

[@nolwells]

i think a thousand of these video counts are from me.

[@ardalla535]

I hope ppl can appreciate the difficulty of playing a 12 string like this

[@Unclemoparman]

"Open tuning"

[@dr.corneliusq.cadbury6984]

Whoa this is pretty wild

[@giorgiopicker]

tnx!!!

[@Condor1970]

Wow someone actually posted a really good version of this recording. All the others are so muffled. This is GREAT!!!

[@JustLIKESESSIONS]

Oh my `EIGHT MILES HIGH´ at 13:22 onwards is magical!

[@ClydeWPhillipsJr]

fiddy nine too. Hey now!

[@bobbabai]

"Buckaroo"! Just watched "Idiocracy". That's where I learned this is a Buck Owens song. I like money!

[@raedawn7991]

❤❤❤❤❤1977

[@philipnavin9134]

Got to see him at Ozark Music Festival July '74.

[@JohnDoe-gk7ok]

His poor right hand! Imagine how much abuse it was taking around this time.

[@145inA]

Ja, das ist gut!!!

[@josephitschner1187]

Saw him perform San Antonio Rose and America the Beautiful, simultaneously

[@redduketeleman]

How long does it take to tune a 12-string guitar? Nobody knows as it's never been done.

[@nuthineatholl6434]

( ಠ ͜ʖಠ)

[@kingrobert1st]

I remember on one of his live albums he said in his usual sombre fashion: "This song starts off like a lot of my songs...with a lot of tuning!"

[@hammer44head]

The guitar master working it. Making that guitar sing. I guess he should have practiced a " I'm taking a crap in my pants face" he would get more credit for having depth to his playing like the lesser mortals on guitar.

[@peterklonwurst7483]

singer and songwriters nowadays? what a crap, compared to this stuff!!! amazing sound! love his sev.sth. hairstyle and his 12 strings

[@mkrnp]

Don't think he plays "Hear the Wind Howl" live any longer. Seen him play a few times over the past 3-4 years.

[@olanrmilligan4100]

i saw leo in about 1980 in west berlin. could have been around the time this was recorded. he was hilarious. dry and ironic. i think his humor may have not translated all that well tho. only a couple of us were laughing.

[@jerryhutchinson1528]

genius

[@uncasist]

Tenessee Toad has motifs lifted directly from Fahey.

[@danielschaeffer1294]

Surprised?

[@johndennis5182]

you have a hard time finding him playing anything else then a 12 string Taylor, but then again you cant find me playing any thing but a Martin HD28.

[@heatherkramer6020]

can someone tell me what year this occurred?

[@billwhitlatch961]

⚡️

[@dickloocks1436]

also dhit you notist that one 12 string have 20 frets and the ather gitar 21 frets thats makes a differend when you are plaing the to gitaars

[@Angelhaswings555]

does any know what tunning this might be ????????????????

[@nuthineatholl6434]

K-O-T-T-K-E

[@Rocket811990]

Leo Kotcom

[@JohnMcPhersonStrutt]

As far as i am concerned, there is only one player of 12 string guitar.

[@ricklatouch2263]

Would that be Blind Willie McTell, or Rev. Gary Davis?

[@JohnMcPhersonStrutt]

@@ricklatouch2263 Point taken about Rev. Gary. I will check out blind Willie McTell

[@Strykerpsy]

Is this Open D?

[@danielschaeffer1294]

Actually it's some variation of the open G "Spanish" tuning so beloved by Don House, Robert Johnson and John Fahey, but he probably had it tuned down so as to avoid warping the neck. I play his stuff on a 6 in G.

[@kingrobert1st]

Mostly open C I think.

[@peternicholson233]

I can sing like him, but I can't play guitar like that.

[@hertzair1186]

How his fingers don’t bleed is a mystery…

[@jamesdaniels2094]

"this guy" lol......ok. this is one of the pillars of american guitar playing...ewan dobson is signed to candy rat records...shadowed by andy mckee on a canadian label...your comparing a pinto to an original mercedes 300 gull-wing...

[@derekmunson1923]

come on who plays guitar this way these days

[@kennethnick3213]

"kotkin"

[@user-uk4pn9yj4d]

Fahey is God.

[@Pixeltrainer]

You forgot the second "o". LOL!

[@Crawenx]

Ewan Dobson puts this guy to shame. He only uses a six string though, but his songs are way gnarlier than this, alot of times it sounds like hes using a 12 string. This guy is still awesome though don't get me wrong. Just go check out some of Ewans videos,if you haven't already. You will be blown away.

[@kingrobert1st]

No way...you can't compare these two giants.

[@jeffcollins9995]

shameful

[@rick19471]

Jeff stay as small as you are.

[@sensei1sp]

Rick Brown So right! Eeeevrybody listens to Jeff, right? NOT

[@FishPornTV]

WTF!!!! Tennesee Toad cuts off early... Great Vid

[@hetcer]

I used to be addicted to leo... now I still am.

[@waxaz7342]

But I usedta too..

[@ingridguerci368]

Same here!

[@Matthew-gx4jo]

😅 I'm a new addict.

[@ingridguerci368]

@@Matthew-gx4jo Welcome to the club!

[@gingerbaker_toad696]

My father gave me my first fix just now

[@nancykincl3425]

Saw him three times, Seattle, Portland, and Bellingham. I have signed albums. Love Leo. Just the best.

[@TheMoodyBluesChat]

Hello Nancy How are you doing? It's nice meeting you here!

[@TrainsPlanesandAutomobiles]

First saw Leo play in Winnipeg Folk Festival, '82. I think he stole the show that might.

[@jamesparadee3388]

Back in 1973 we had a couple Kottke albums in our school library, Mudlark, and Armadillo. At age sixteen, these records opened my ears and eyes to musical possiblities. At fifty-nine they still help me to believe in the magic of music making, and bring beauty to every moment. Leo never fails to evoke that special innocence and clarity of my youth back in my heart. And heart, is what he is all about. Yeah, there may be better pickers, singers, and perfomers... but nobody brings as much heart to his guitar, with "a voice that sounds like goose farts on a muggy day," I'll take Leo every time. Thanks for the memories!

[@andytrimble5615]

I've never heard a better picker.

[@jwhiteout]

When I heard that 6 and 12 string guitar record I was blown away. It was not the type of thing I usually listened to, but what an album. That was over 20 years ago I still play the album pretty regularly. It's great after a hard day. And with a valium.

[@jamesparadee3388]

Amen. I'm gonna look for Leo in Vinyl just to hear what's really goin' on. Pretty much everything's better with an anxiety agent, but I've also found that there are just never enough of 'em... he's the real deal, and when I hear these youngin's talkin' 'bout the latest picker I just grin, and say, "Well, he's no Leo..." The thing about Kottke is that he is a genuine enigma; a racounteur of all things trivial and substantial. I was in a sax and guitar duo for a stint in Cape May and the guitarist said he knew Leo when, back in the days when he was outta Minnesota and busking in NYC. What a joy that had to be to hear a young man like Leo playing as Joni would say, essentially, "For Free." I try to imagine that scene when I throw Miss Mitchell on the turntable. Thanks for the reply, and get all his records, all great and sublime and musical--perfect peace

[@jamesparadee3388]

Leo's still kickin' and grinnin' and every one of his records demand investigation. 6 and 12 string is special, but each album carries the same message--good music played with heart and soul...not bad for a white kid from Minnesota. Come to think of it, Robert Zimmerman grew up there too. I guess xanax is the new valium; both equally competent at relaxing the shoulders but good music is such a better tonic, and readily available in a pinch... perfect peace and sweet listening sessions--

[@jamesparadee3388]

Wow! That previous rcomment appears to be partially neutered. My first experience with the politically correct crowd. As a man suffering from tanarexia, I find all that stuff just incredible. I guess I can only blame my daddy and mommy for having such a pigmentally challenged child!

[@GregTheBunny100]

What an incredible talent, and who the hell would vote this down??? Ahh well, not my problem.