Recommend guitarists similar to Kaki King.

November 1, 2004 4:45 PM

I am newly hooked on Kaki King. What other offbeat virtuoso(ish) acoustic guitarists in the same vein would you recommend (can be old or new, but with the same lighthearted spirit as KK)? Lip piercing optional.
posted by signal to Media & Arts (8 answers total)

There's a bunch of solo acoustic guitar artists that I'd recommend (Leo Kottke, John Fahey, Alex de Grassi, Tommy Emannuel). But if you're looking for something close to Kaki King's style, you should check out Michael Hedges. He's often classified as "New Age," but he's mostly solo acoustic. King has said in interviews that he was a big influence on her style, especially her tendency to use alternate tunings.
posted by eastlakestandard at 5:54 PM on November 1, 2004

Keller Williams?
posted by muckster at 6:32 PM on November 1, 2004

The Frank and Joe Show. I just discovered them a few months ago and I'm loving them. (Their one and only album, 33 1/3, is available on iTMS.)

Tim Reynolds, of course. Some of his music is musically light-hearted, but in perhaps a different manner than Kaki King.
posted by waldo at 6:52 PM on November 1, 2004

Yeah, Hedges was a God. Start here.
posted by kindall at 9:25 PM on November 1, 2004

Willie Porter is also good.
posted by remlapm at 7:04 AM on November 2, 2004

Triple that for Hedges. He described his music as "Heavy Mental" and "thrash acoustic".
posted by plinth at 7:20 AM on November 2, 2004

Friend of mine also suggests Preston Reed.
posted by kindall at 8:36 AM on November 2, 2004

loren mazzacane connors is amazing, but not exactly lighthearted. and al dimeola comes to mind, though it isn't entirely overlapped with what you're talking about and is perhaps too obvious.
posted by ifjuly at 12:43 PM on November 6, 2004