6- and 12-String Guitar is the second album by Leo Kottke, a solo instrumental steel-string acoustic guitar album originally released by Takoma Records in 1969. It is popularly known as the Armadillo album after the animal illustrated in the distinctive cover art (by Annie Elliott). Although Kottke has recorded dozens of additional albums, 6- and 12-String Guitar remains his best-known album.

Kottke is known for a finger-picking style that draws on influences from blues, jazz and folk music, and for syncopated, polyphonic melodies.

Focusing primarily on instrumental composition and playing, Kottke also sings sporadically, in an unconventional yet expressive baritone.

6-and 12-string Guitar remains one of the works most associated with Kottke and has been re-released many times on various record labels. The album showcases Kottke's early, hard-driving polyphonic finger-picking style (which eventually led to him developing tendinitis and having to change his playing approach). Even at the fastest tempos the notes are clean and crisp, with a distinctive tone. True to its title, the album contains performances on both 6- and 12-string acoustic guitars, some using a slide. Although Kottke has included vocals in other albums, this album is all instrumental

Track listing (with Kottke's notes) Side One

All songs written and composed by Leo Kottke, except where noted. 

No.

Title

Length

1.

"The Driving of the Year Nail" (From an old Etruscan drawing of a sperm cell)

1:54

2.

"The Last of the Arkansas Greyhounds" (A terror-filled escape on a bus from a man fired from Beaumont ranch)

3:18

3.

"Ojo" (Ojo Calientewhere Zuni hid from Esteban, the Moor, and the Spaniards)

2:14

4.

"Crow River Waltz" (A prayer for the demise of the canoe and the radar trap without which Federal prisons will have to be rebuilt to accommodate prepubescence)

3:20

5.

"The Sailor's Grave on the Prairie" (Originally written to commemorate Nedicks and a Minneapolis musician's contempt for the three a.m. cheeseburger with a nickel slice of raw)

2:34

6.

"Vaseline Machine Gun" (1) for waking up nude in a sleeping bag on the shore of the Atlantic surrounded by a volleyball game at high noon, and (2) for the end of the volleyball game)

3:11

7.

"Jack Fig" (A reluctant lament)

2:14

Side Two

No.

Title

Length

1.

"Watermelon" (While at Watermelon Park Music Festival I had the opportunity to play banjo in the middle of the night for a wandering drunk. When I finished he vomited – an astute comment on my playing. Made me feel very distinguished)

3:12

2.

"Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring" (J.S. Bach The engineer called this the ancient joy of man's desire. (Bach had twenty children because his organ didn't have any stops))

2:24

3.

"The Fisherman" (This is about the mad fishermen of the North whose spots resemble national shrines)

2:32

4.

"The Tennessee Toad" (Who made an epic journey from Ohio to Tennessee)

2:40

5.

"Busted Bicycle" (Reluctance)

2:48

6.

"The Brain of the Purple Mountain" (From A.L. Tennyson)

2:11

7.

"Coolidge Rising" (While rising from the sink, cupboard doors opened and engulfed his head; while turning to the right to avoid the whole incident he walked into a refrigerator – which afforded a good chin rest for staring at some bananas in a basket)

2:50

Personnel

Leo Kottke – 6- & 12-string guitars

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