One of the most celebrated and versatile musicians of his generation on any instrument, the Spanish-born guitarist Pepe Romero has enjoyed a varied and illustrious career. 

Together with his father, the legendary Celedonio Romero, and his brothers Celin and Angel, Pepe established the Romeros Quartet—the “Royal Family of the Guitar”—as the leading guitar ensemble in the world. Known for classical performances of dazzling virtuosity, compelling interpretations, and flawless technique, Pepe is also a passionate advocate of the traditional flamenco of his native Andalusia. He has appeared as featured soloist with the world’s greatest orchestras and ensembles, in collaboration with the most celebrated conductors and composers. Since his first recording, Flamenco Fenómeno,  released when he was only fifteen, Pepe has made more than sixty recordings, including over forty concertos with the Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields, conducted by Sir Neville Marriner and Iona Brown. In November 2012 Pepe Romero received a Latin Grammy Nomination for “Best Classical Album” for his recording of Concierto festivo by Ernesto Cordero.

 

In 2004, Pepe Romero was named Distinguished Artist in Residence at the University of Southern California’s Thornton School of Music. Among other honors, Pepe has been knighted into the Order of “Isabel la Católica”; awarded honorary doctorates in music from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music and the University of Victoria; and the “Premio Andalucia de Música,” the highest recognition given by his native land for contribution to the arts and in 2018 he received the Medalla de Honor from the Real Academia de Bellas Artes de Granada for his lifelong achievement in performance and pedagogy. Pepe is featured in the award-winning film documentary Shadows and Light: Joaquín Rodrigo at 90; the Romeros have been the subject of biographical documentaries on PBS television and the German television channel NDR. In 2007, the Romeros received the President's Merit Award from the Recording Academy, producers of the Grammy Awards, for their significant contributions to the music world and professional career achievements. In 2022 Pepe Romero received the great honor from his native city of Málaga by having a yearly guitar festival named for him. 

Acoustic guitarist Leo Kottke was born in Athens, Georgia, but left town after a year and a half. Raised in 12 different states, he absorbed a variety of musical influences as a child, flirting with both violin and trombone, before abandoning Stravinsky for the guitar at age 11.

After adding a love for the country-blues of Mississippi John Hurt to the music of John Phillip Sousa and Preston Epps, Kottke joined the Navy underage, to be underwater, and eventually lost some hearing shooting at lightbulbs in the Atlantic while serving on the USS Halfbeak, a diesel submarine.
 
Kottke had previously entered college at the U of Missouri, dropping out after a year to hitchhike across the country to South Carolina, then to New London and into the Navy, with his twelve string. "The trip was not something I enjoyed," he has said, "I was broke and met too many interesting people."
 
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 issued his 1968 recording debut LP Twelve String Blues, recorded on a Viking quarter-inch tape recorder, for the Scholar's tiny Oblivion label. (The label released one other LP by The Langston Hughes Memorial Eclectic Jazz Band.)
 
After sending tapes to guitarist John Fahey, Kottke was signed to Fahey's Takoma label, releasing what has come to be called the Armadillo record. Fahey and his manager Denny Bruce soon secured a production deal for Kottke with Capitol Records.
 
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. Still, despite arguments with label heads as well as with Bruce, 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.
 
With 1975's Chewing Pine, Kottke reached the U.S. Top 30 for the second time; he also gained an international following thanks to his continuing tours in Europe and Australia.
 
His collaboration with Phish bassist Mike Gordon, "Clone," caught audiences' attention in 2002. Kottke and Gordon followed with a recording in the Bahamas called "Sixty Six Steps," produced by Leo's old friend and Prince producer David Z.
 
Kottke has been awarded two Grammy nominations; a Doctorate in Music Performance by the Peck School of Music at the U of Wisconsin, Milwaukee; and a Certificate of Significant Achievement in Not Playing the Trombone from the U of Texas at Brownsville with Texas Southmost College.