Terming his style as 'American primitive music', John Fahey was a maverick, folk
guitar genius, whose solo acoustic, instrumental compositions earned him
critical acclaim. Raised in Takoma Park in the suburbs of Maryland, Fahey grew
up listening to classical music and hearing local country and bluegrass acts
but, after taking up the guitar at the age of 12, he picked up tips from
neighbourhood friends and developed an unusual way of playing with his fingers.
His obsession with music also included record collecting and, in his teenage
years, he and other budding musicologists star...