Here’s wishing founding Jefferson Airplane guitarist and Hot Tuna frontman Jorma Kaukonen a very Happy 85th Birthday!
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Born in Washington, D.C., on December 23, 1940, Kaukonen moved to the San Francisco Bay area in 1962 to attend the University of Santa Clara. While there, Jorma began developing his guitar skills, with a focus on traditional acoustic folk and blues.
In 1965, Kaukonen was invited to join the Jefferson Airplane, a folk-rock band that soon would embrace the psychedelic sounds that characterized the Bay Area music scene of the late 1960s. Jorma’s searing lead guitar was a key element of the Jefferson Airplane sound. Kaukonen also contributed some songs that showcased his folk and blues influences, and occasionally sang lead in the group.
While still a member of the Airplane, he and the band’s bassist, Jack Casady, formed the acid folk-and-blues duo Hot Tuna. After the Jefferson Airplane broke up around 1972, Kaukonen’s main musical focus became Hot Tuna. Since then, Jorma’s has released a variety of albums with Hot Tuna and as a solo artist. He also has collaborated with various artists over the years.
In 1989, the Jefferson Airplane reunited to release a self-titled album, supported by a North American tour. In 1996, Kaukonen was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Jefferson Airplane.
In November and December 2025, Jorma celebrated his 85th birthday with a series of special, star-studded concerts in Washington, D.C.; New York City; Denver; and San Francisco.
To commemorate Kaukonen’s birthday, here a four cool Jefferson Airplane songs written by Jorma and/or showcasing his guitar talents.
“Embryonic Journey” (1967)
“Embryonic Journey” is arguably Kaukonen’s most famous composition. He wrote the beautifully melodic acoustic instrumental in 1963 as a part of a guitar workshop in Santa Clara, California. The finger-picked tune was written in dropped-D tuning.
“Embryonic Journey” was included on the Jefferson Airplane’s breakthrough second album, Surrealistic Pillow (1967). The tune has been featured on the soundtracks for a variety of movies and TV shows, including the Friends finale.
“The Last Wall of the Castle” (1967)
“The Last Wall of the Castle” was a song written by Kaukonen that appeared on the Airplane’s third studio album, After Bathing at Baxter’s. Jorma is featured on lead vocals, and accompanied on harmonies by singer/rhythm guitarist Paul Kantner.
The grooving psychedelic-rock tune includes a blistering, fuzz-guitar solo by Kaukonen.
“Good Shepherd” (1969)
“Good Shepherd” is a traditional song that was adapted and arranged for the Jefferson Airplane by Kaukonen. The band’s version appeared on its fifth studio album, Volunteers, which was released in 1969.
Kaukonen began performing “Good Shepherd” solo at coffeehouses before ever joining the Jefferson Airplane.
Jorma explained in a recent interview with American Songwriter that he learned the song from the folk duo of Roger Perkins and Tom Hobson, whose version was based on a 1936 recording by Jimmie Strother. Library of Congress musicologist Alan Lomax recorded Strother playing the tune while the latter was imprisoned at Virginia State Farm. The song appears in the Library of Congress under the title “Blood-Strained Banders.”
The Airplane’s version is a mid-tempo rock tune featuring a fuzz-guitar solo by Kaukonen. Jorma also sings lead, with majestic backing vocals by bandmates Kantner, Grace Slick, and Marty Balin.
A solo version of “Blood-Strained Banders” recorded at a 1965 Kaukonen concert at The Offstage venue in San Jose, California, appears on Jorma’s recently released archival live album, Wabash Avenue.
“Pretty as You Feel” (1971)
“Pretty as You Feel” is an atmospheric psych-rock tune that appears on the Jefferson Airplane’s sixth studio effort, Bark (1971).
Kaukonen co-wrote the tune with Casady, then-drummer Joey Covington, and two members of Santana—guitarist Carlos Santsana and drummer Michael Shrieve. Santana and Shrieve also played on the track.
“Pretty as You Feel” was released as the sole single from Bark. It peaked at No. 60 on the Billboard Hot 100.
(Photo by Al Pereira/Getty Images)
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