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Robbie Basho

Robbie Basho (born Robert Fitzgerald, 1940–1986) was an American guitarist, composer, and singer, known for his unique approach to acoustic guitar, blending elements of classical, folk, blues, Indian, and Middle Eastern music. He was a key figure in the American primitive guitar movement, a genre popularized by other influential artists like John Fahey, but Basho carved out his own distinct sound.

Basho is often associated with "open tunings" and fingerstyle techniques, much like John Fahey, but his work also incorporated modal scales and drone-based structures drawn from Indian and Asian music traditions. His playing was marked by a deep, almost mystical quality, drawing comparisons to classical guitar virtuosity and traditional folk music.

He was particularly influenced by Eastern philosophy, especially the Indian music system and the concept of raga. Basho studied Indian classical music with the sitar virtuoso, Ravi Shankar, and his later work reflected an effort to merge Western folk and blues with Eastern sensibilities. His album The Falconer's Arm is a good example of this fusion, incorporating spiritual themes and a sense of transcendence.

Although Basho never gained the widespread fame of contemporaries like Fahey or Leo Kottke, his work has grown in stature over time. He is considered a visionary guitarist and has influenced many contemporary musicians in the folk and experimental music scenes, including figures like Bill Orcutt and Glenn Jones.

Robbie Basho's music has been rediscovered in recent years, and his albums are appreciated for their complexity, emotional depth, and adventurous blend of global influences. His works continue to resonate with listeners who seek music that is meditative, expansive, and steeped in spiritual and cultural exploration.

In short, Robbie Basho remains a cult figure whose contributions to guitar music and his blending of Eastern and Western traditions make him an important figure in the history of experimental and folk guitar playing.

A Bouquet of Basho: The Musical Legacy of a Legend

by Jakob Baekgaard
January 11, 2025

It is hard to underestimate the importance of a documentary when it comes to the goal of preserving the legacy of a musician. Unlike a book, a documentary tells the story of an artist in a way that is much more condensed and adds a visual and aural aspect that the written page misses. Liam Barker's beautiful documentary, Voice of the Eagle: The Enigma of Robbie Basho (2020), was a gamechanger in many ways. Not only did ...

Film Review

Voice of the Eagle: The Enigma of Robbie Basho

by Jakob Baekgaard
May 24, 2020

Voice of the Eagle: The Enigma of Robbie Basho A film by Liam Barker Liam Barker Film Production2015/2019 Acoustic guitar music wouldn't be the same without the pioneering effort of John Fahey, but If Fahey became the face of what he dubbed American Primitive music, a genre of advanced acoustic guitar music influenced by country-blues, Robbie Basho was just as important in opening the vista of guitar playing. Whereas Fahey's hero was country-blues guitarist, Charlie ...

Album Review

Robbie Basho: The Art of the Acoustic Steel String Guitar 6&12

Read "The Art of the Acoustic Steel String Guitar 6&12" reviewed by Mario Calvitti

by Mario Calvitti
April 20, 2015

Al momento della sua scomparsa, avvenuta prematuramente nel febbraio 1986 a soli 45 anni, il chitarrista Robbie Basho era già quasi dimenticato. Dopo il boom della chitarra acustica cui lui stesso aveva contribuito nella seconda metà degli anni '60, la sua fama si era progressivamente oscurata, a causa di uno stile troppo avanzato per il suo tempo e la concorrenza di uno stuolo di fingerpickers, con Leo Kottke come esponente principale, decisamente più abbordabili da parte del pubblico medio. Così, ...

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Album Review

Robbie Basho: Bashovia

Read "Bashovia" reviewed by Derek Taylor

by Derek Taylor
September 1, 2001

Robbie Basho had all the requisite trappings of a musical eccentric. So states John Fahey in his posthumously published sleeve notes to this second compendium of the enigmatic guitarist’s work for Fahey’s own Takoma label. While Fahey’s reminiscences often poke fun Basho’s fabricated persona (and ironically cite several critiques that could just as easily be leveled against Fahey himself) they also reflect an underlying respect for the man, both as musician and stylistic original.

Fancying himself the reincarnation of a ...