BFOD S2E19 Leo Kottke Old Henry

Please join for this episode in which I discuss the guitarist Leo Kottke and the movie Old Henry. Enjoy!

Takeaways Leo kottke:

1. Leo Kottke is a legendary acoustic guitarist.
   Born in Athens, Georgia, in 1945, he has built a career spanning more than six decades and continues touring into his 80s.
2. He is renowned for his fingerpicking technique.
    Like Mark Knopfler, Kottke uses a fingerstyle approach, but he performs exclusively on acoustic 6- and 12-string guitars.
3. His music blends several genres with complex arrangements. His style combines blues, folk, and jazz, featuring syncopated rhythms and polyphonic melodies that give his playing a rich, intricate sound.
4. He developed a distinctive guitar sound through unconventional tuning. After beginning with open tunings, he later adopted a tuning two whole steps below standard, contributing to his signature tone.
5. Kottke is known more for his guitar than his singing.
    Although he occasionally sings, he humorously describes his own voice as "geese farts on a muggy day," emphasizing that his instrumental work is the main attraction.
6. He overcame significant physical challenges. Partial hearing loss from a childhood firecracker accident and severe tendonitis in his picking hand nearly ended his musical career, but he persevered.
7. He earned immense respect despite limited mainstream fame. While never becoming a household name, Kottke has developed a devoted international following and is widely regarded as one of the greatest acoustic guitarists.
8. His album 6- and 12-String Guitar became his defining work. Released in 1969, the album—also known as the "Armadillo Album" because of its cover art—was largely recorded live in single takes during one 3½-hour session.
9. Critical acclaim helped launch his career. A positive 1970 review in Rolling Stone introduced Kottke to a much wider audience and praised the emotional depth and originality of his playing.
10. His music continues to leave a lasting personal impression. Albums such as 6- and 12-String Guitar, Mudlark, and Dreams and All That Stuff remain personal favorites, and rediscovering his music years later rekindled the admiration inspired by his remarkable musicianship.

Overall takeaway: Leo Kottke is a guitarist's guitarist—an innovative fingerstyle master whose technical brilliance, distinctive sound, resilience through adversity, and enduring catalog have earned him lasting respect among musicians and devoted fans around the world.

Takeaways from Old Henry:

1. The film is a modern indie Western with a Coen Brothers feel.
   Written and directed by Potsy Ponciroli, Old Henry blends action, suspense, and drama while delivering a character-driven story full of tension and dark humor.
2. Tim Blake Nelson delivers a standout performance.
    Tim Blake Nelson stars as the quiet farmer Henry, portraying a reserved man whose extraordinary skills and mysterious past gradually come to light.
3. The story begins with a simple act of compassion.
    Henry rescues a wounded stranger named Curry along with a satchel of stolen money, unknowingly setting off a deadly chain of events.
4. The mystery surrounding Henry drives the film.
    His calm demeanor, exceptional marksmanship, and reluctance to reveal his past make both the audience and the villains question who he really is.
5. Appearances prove to be deceptive. The men claiming to be lawmen are actually outlaws, while Curry—who initially appears to be a victim—is ultimately revealed to be corrupt.
6. The film features an intense siege sequence.
    Henry, his son Wyatt, and Curry defend the farmhouse against Ketchum and his gang, leading to a suspenseful and action-packed gunfight.
7. Henry is revealed to be a legendary gunfighter.
    His effortless ability to outshoot multiple attackers hints that he is far more dangerous than the humble farmer he appears to be.
8. The biggest twist reveals Henry's true identity.
    Curry realizes that Henry is actually Billy the Kid living under the name Henry McCarty after years in hiding.
9. The father-son relationship is at the heart of the story. Beyond the gunfights, the film focuses on Henry preparing Wyatt to survive on his own while protecting him at all costs.
10. The ending is both tragic and hopeful. Wyatt kills Curry to save his father, but Henry dies from his wounds. Wyatt then rides away with the money and Henry's gun, beginning a new chapter of his life.

Overall takeaway: Old Henry is a gripping modern Western that combines mystery, suspense, and explosive action with a memorable final twist. Powered by an outstanding performance from Tim Blake Nelson, it transforms a simple frontier story into an engaging tale about identity, redemption, and the bond between father and son.