| Name: | Jorma Ludwig Kaukonen Jr |
| Born: | Dec 23, 1940, Washington, DC |
| Parents: | Beatrice and Jorma Kaukonen Snr. |
| Siblings: | 1 Brother, Peter. |
| Spouse: | Margaretta, (1964 - 87)> Vanessa, (c1992 - present) |
Biography:
Jorma is the much-tattood guitarist for Jefferson Airplane and Hot Tuna. His sharp, metallic, guitar sound proved perfect for the Airplane's psycadelic sound. A long-time friend of Jack Casady, the two of them having played together in Washington, DC, he co-founded Hot Tuna with Casady in 1968 and, with the exception of a five-year break in the late 70's and early 80's, they continue touring and recording to this day.
While growing up, Jorma spent time living in both Pakistan and the Phillipines as his father, who worked for the U.S. Forign Service, was moved between postings. In between Pakistan and the Phillipines, the family returned to Washington, DC, where the young Jorma began to learn the guitar and met Chick Casady. Through him, he met his younger brother, Jack, and the two of them soon formed the Triumphs and cut a 78rpm record, Magic Key. He also attended Antioch College, OH, and it was here that he encountered fellow guitarist Ian Buchannan, a disciple of the Reverend Gary Davis. He dropped out of college, and moved to become part of the Greenwich Village folk scene, where he took lessons from Davis.
Returning from the Phillipines, he attended the University of Santa Clara from September 1961 to 1964, mainly as a way of avoiding the draft, and graduated with a sociology degree. While there, he played in a band with Steve Talbot (who would coin the name "Jefferson Airplane"), Billy Roberts (who wrote "Hey Joe") and an unknown Texan singer, Janis Joplin. It was during this period that he first encountered a young folk musician named Paul Kantner. Graduating from university, he took a trip to Europe with his grandparents, and while there he met and married a Swede named Margaretta.
In mid-1965, while planning another trip to Europe, he was invited by Paul Kantner to join a new band being formed in San Francisco, which at the time was nameless. Jorma suggested, partly as a joke, that they name the band after a fictional blues singer created by Steve Talbot, "Blind Thomas Jefferson Airplane". The band liked the idea, and settled on an edited version. When they parted company with their original bass player, Bob Harvey, Jorma suggested his old friend Jack Casady as a replacement, and he was also partially responsible for the dismissal of the bands original drummer, Jerry Peloquin.
As the Airplane started to hit the big time, Jorma, supported by Jack Casady, began to develop their trademark driving improvisational style which would lift the band to even greater heights of creativity and commercial success. This also created some tensions within the band, especially with Marty Balin, which would eventually lead to Balin's departure. In 1968, feeling a little stifled by the Airplane's then-current musical directions, he began jamming with Casady and drummer Joey Covington. This would lead to the formation of Hot Tuna in 1969.
Gradually, Hot Tuna grew from a sideline into Jorma's main commitment and, in 1972, both he and Jack quit the Airplane to devote all of their time to playing the blues with Hot Tuna. While the rest of the Airplane went on to multi-million selling success with Jefferson Starship, Jorma and Jack had a more modest, but still very successful, career with Hot Tuna until they decided to call it a day in 1978.
Following the break-up of Hot Tuna, Jorma had a fairly unsuccessful solo career, even trying to jump on the back of the punk movement complete with cropped and bleached hair. Eventually, in 1983, he and Jack decided to reform Hot Tuna, and they continue playing and touring regularly to this day. They were also talked into participating in the Jefferson Airplane reunion, but found little satisfaction in either the recording or the tour.
Having divorced Margaretta in 1987 (she reportedly later died from an overdose c1997), Jorma married his current wife, Vanessa Lynn, c1992, having moved to Meigs County, Ohio with her in 1989. Here they created the Fur Peace Ranch Guitar Camp, where young musicians can go to learn traditional American music.
Select Discography:
"Magic Key" - The Triumphs. (78rpm)
All Jefferson Airplane releases.
All Hot Tuna releases.
Trivia:
If it hadn't been for his wife being mistaken for a prostitute by the local police, Jorma would have probably been in Europe when Paul Kantner tried contacting him with the invitation to join the fledgling Jefferson Airplane.