Out of Oblivion:
The Homegrown Rise and Riffs of Leo Kottke

As announced in Fretboard Journal

Issue 54, June 2024

—Book due by year-end 2025—

Contact author to be notified when available

UNLOCK THE MYSTERIES & JOY of:

• Leo Kottke’s roots

• 6- & 12-string guitar technique

• 1960s acoustic folk & blues

The never-before-told saga of Leo Kottke’s hometown roots, songs, and riffs, including:

• His legendary first LP, Oblivion Records “Leo Kottke 12-String Blues” (taped live at the Scholar Coffeehouse in Minneapolis) that led to his magnum opus on John Fahey’s Takoma Records label “Leo Kottke 6- and 12-String Guitar.”

• The 1960s Minnesota blues and folk music coffeehouse scene that made Leo’s rise to fame possible: the venues and their operators, the fellow musicians who provided licks and inspiration, the sound and recording technologies, the artist who created the album covers, and more.

About the [draft] book cover*: The armadillo is the the original rendition by artist Anne C. “Annie” Elliott from the August 1969 Scholar Coffeehouse concert schedule. The “LEO KOTTKE” title and banner are as originally intended by Annie for the Takoma record jacket. The “Side Two” red label includes “Long Way Up The River” which was dropped after the first 200 pressings (the Kottke-esque reason revealed in my book).

*Just some of the fascinating background explored further in the book.

BOOK CONTENTS WILL INCLUDE:

All about Leo’s rare first recording:
Oblivion Records "Leo Kottke 12-String Blues"

The intriguing details behind the highly-collectible “12-String Blues” on Oblivion Records (all three releases, S9-321, obl-S1, obl-SIA), recorded live at the Scholar Coffeehouse in Minneapolis. Learn about Leo's original compositions, his guitar technique, his influences, the curious choice of album name, Annie's original jacket design, and much more.

Leo's next recordings:
Takoma Records "Leo Kottke 6- and 12-String Guitar"
Symposium Music "Leo Kottke - Circle 'Round The Sun"

The true story behind Leo’s introduction to John Fahey, why Annie despised the change to her original jacket design, and much more.

Back to the future—later recordings, including:
Mudlark, Greenhouse My Feet Are Smiling, Leo Kottke - Peter Lang - John Fahey, Dreams And All That Stuff, Ice Water, Paul Bunyan, Home & Away

Interesting Minnesota homegrown ties to many of Leo's later albums.

And much more

The people, places, and things that contributed to Leo’s development and ultimate fame.

The people

• The coffeehouse owners/managers/staff
• The fellow performers
• The artists
• The audiences
• The reviewers

The places

• Bassin’s
• The Ratskeller
• Scholar Coffeehouse
• Whole Coffeehouse
• No Exit Coffeehouse
• Coffeehouse Extemporé
• The recording studios

The things

• The guitars
• The sound equipment
• The recording equipment
• The furnishings

—Book to be completed by year-end 2025—