Jorma Kaukonen began his career as a backup to Janis Joplin in the early 1960s but by 1965 he had founded Jefferson Airplane. Though his songwriting skills were not much in evidence during the Airplane years, his distinctive guitar skills played a major role in defining the sound of the band.
While still playing in Airplane, Kaukonen founded Hot Tuna, with fellow band member Jack Casady, as an outlet for their acoustic leanings. Airplane split in 1973 and Tuna went electric, and Kaukonen's songwriting skills began to predominate. He consolidated this with a successful solo career; in 1974 he released the first of several solo albums, Quah and when, in 1978, Tuna split, he released his second, Jorma. It was during this time that he founded yet another band, Vital Parts though the band failed to capture public appreciation.
He continues to tour as a solo musician and with a reunited Hot Tuna and participated in the 1989 reunion of Jefferson Airplane. He also owns and operates the Fur Peace Ranch, which is a guitar camp and studio based in the countryside of Ohio.
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10th Annual Music Midtown Festival - Day 2 - Jorma Kaukonen & Blue Country In Concert
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