Jorma Kaukonen in San Francisco

Jorma Kaukonen is an American guitarist, singer and songwriter, born in Washington, D.C., in 1940. The original lead guitarist of Jefferson Airplane, he later formed Hot Tuna with bassist Jack Casady, developing a repertoire rooted in country blues, folk and rock. His best-known recordings include the fingerpicked instrumental “Embryonic Journey” and the solo album Quah. Jorma Kaukonen performed with Jefferson Airplane at the Monterey International Pop Festival in 1967 and Woodstock in 1969. Later that year, he and Jack Casady recorded Hot Tuna’s self-titled debut during concerts at the New Orleans House in Berkeley. In subsequent decades, his solo concerts and Hot Tuna dates were joined by performances at Fur Peace Ranch, the guitar camp and concert venue he established in Ohio.