James Michael “Mike” Heron was born on December 27, 1942. Heron, with Robin Williamson and Clive Palmer, founded The Incredible String Band in 1965 as a folk-song group which evolved to produce an emerging “world music” sound.
From a 2017 The List piece about the band, Heron said, “When they asked me to join the band I was really thrilled…. I joined very much as an apprentice in my mind; I’d been admiring them for ages. I was trying to be accepted by the alien beatniks. It took a little while!’
Incredible String Band Mike Heron
Incredible String Band
The Incredible String Band produced over 10 albums including “Five Thousand Spirits or the Layers of the Onion”, the Grammy nominated “The Hangman’s Beautiful Daughter”, and “Wee Tam and The Big Huge”.
Their sound and success and “underground” radio’s fondness for their songs led to an invitation to perform at the Woodstock Music and Art Fair. After a Friday night postponement, the band appeared on Saturday inconveniently placed between the blues-oriented Keef Hartly Band and Canned Heat.
Incredible String Band Mike Heron
Solo
In 1971 Heron released his first solo album, Smiling Men with Bad Reputations. Sitting in were such luminary musicians as John Cale, Pete Townshend, Richard Thompson, Elton John, Jimmy Page, Steve Winwood, Keith Moon, and Ronnie Lane. It featured a much more rock sound very different than Incredible String Band.
Incredible String Band Mike Heron
Mike and daughter Georgia
More recently Mike has been performing with his daughter, Georgia Seddon.
In 2008 Mike and Georgia were invited to perform at The Hollywood Bowl, collaborating with American band The Album Leaf for an evening of World music.
His sitelists the nine solo albums Mike has released.
Mike and Georgia are now performing with Mike Hastings, and the multi instrumentalist Nick Pynn. Here is a video of Mike Heron & Georgia Seddon playing Mike’s “Feast of Stephen” accompanied by Trembling Bells at The Glad Cafe, Glasgow. October 2013.
Jorma Kaukonen was born on December 23, 1940 and did not have ambitions to be a rock star. At the time, there was no rock.
Guitarist Jorma Jerry Kaukonen
Early on
Though born in Washington, DC, with a dad who worked in the Foreign Service, Jorma’s childhood was a well-traveled one. His dad had used Jerry as a nickname, the name Jorma during World War II being mistakenly viewed as German and thus un-American.
At the same time, Jorma recounts that some of his Ann Arbor base-mates decided he was not American enough and tried to string him up as a spy. Jorma became Jerry also and remained so for many years. [When he first moved to Ohio in the late 80s, the -o- at the end of his name again became an issue and people started called Jorma “Norm.”]
Guitarist Jorma Jerry Kaukonen
With Jack Casady
Jorma attended Woodrow Wilson High School in Washington DC. He fell in with guitar enthusiasts there at a time when sax, drums, and piano were the “cool” instruments.
So from the start, Jorma found himself on the fringe.
Jorma was in school with Jack Casady’s older brother and one day Jorma visited the Casady household. Jorma and Jack formed a musical friendship, one that has lasted more than 60 years
They briefly formed a band, The Triumphs, and as Jack recalls, “I played lead guitar, Jorma played rhythm guitar and sang. The PA system was a Wollensac tape recorder put in the monitor mode so Jorma’s vocals were coming through a 3-inch speaker. It was kind of raw but it was fun while it lasted.”
Guitarist Jorma Jerry Kaukonen
Ohio > California
Kaukonen graduated high school and attended Antioch College in Ohio. While there, he “discovered” the music of the Reverend Gary Davis. Davis’s music became and remains a part of Kaukonen’s life.
Jorma later transferred to Santa Clara University where he also gave guitar lessons. One famous session was with Janis Joplin.
In 1967, Paul Kantnerinvited Kaukonen to join a band Kanter was formed and despite Jorma’s preference for acoustic blues, the emerging electric technology pulled Jorma into the psychedelic sounds.
Jorma half-seriously suggested a band name: Jefferson Airplane. Obviously, the serious half won out.
Ironically, one of the best known electric-based Airplane songs is his acoustic “Embryonic Journey.”
Famous for their Sunday sunrise performance at the Woodstock Music and Art Fair, those same acoustic roots still held Jorma Kaukonen’s love. In 1970 he and Jack Casady formed Hot Tuna.
Guitarist Jorma Jerry Kaukonen
Hot Tuna and more
With Kaukonen and Casady the core members, dozens of other musicians have been part of Hot Tuna’s history. The band has released more than 20 albums.
In 1974, Kaukonen released, Quah, the first of his 11 solo albums.
In 1978, during a Hot Tuna haitus, he formed the band Vital Parts.
At a 1988 Hot Tuna performance at the Fillmore Auditorium, that Grace Slick joined the performance. Marty Balin was in the audience. The “reunion” resulted in a brief Airplane tour and record in 1989.
With his wife Vanessa, Kaukonen operates the Fur Peace Ranch[it’s a fur piece from anywhere] in Ohio. The site states, in 1989, “Jorma and Vanessa Kaukonen looked at a piece of land in Meigs and conceived what Jorma calls “a ranch that grows guitar players.” Not a fantasy camp, but this would be a place where both budding and seasoned musicians could immerse themselves for several days, and emerge with renewed inspiration and tangible progress in their music.”
Guitarist Jorma Jerry Kaukonen
Virtual lessons
Fur Peace Ranch in Ohio
And in this age of virtual instruction, Kaukonen also offers on-line lessons for guitar enthusiasts. The site is called Breakdown Way. You can even Skype lessons.
Guitarist Jorma Jerry Kaukonen
Been So Long
On August 28, 2018, St Martin’s Press published Jorma’s memoirs, Been So Long, My Life & Music. Grace Slick wrote the forward; Jack Casady wrote the afterward. The title comes from the song of the same name.
The Kirkus review described the work as, “An honest personal portrait but also one where the author could have revealed more—and written less.”
I’m sure fans won’t mind the extra bits.
Guitarist Jorma Jerry Kaukonen
Quarantine
From a 2021 PSAudio article: During quarantine Jorma has been hosting a weekly free concert from his Fur Peace Ranch on its YouTube channel. The New York Times recently said it was among the top online concerts launched during COVID-19. Out of these sessions has come the inspiration behind a new record, The River Flows, tied to his long-standing collaborations with John Hurlbut. The River Flows was produced by Jorma at the ranch in Meigs County, Ohio and mixed by three-time Grammy winner and Hot Tuna drummer Justin Guip. Together they have made a record filled with fantastic takes on songs made famous by artists they admire, along with a few originals. It’s a celebration of great music, tremendous acoustic guitar work, and a close friendship that began almost 40 years ago.
And if you say Alvin Lee or Ten Years After, most music fans will say, “I’m Goin’ Home” and think of his Woodstock Music and Art Fair performance.
Alvin Graham Barnes Lee
Home albatross
It likely surprised Lee that he garnered so much fame from that song’s particular performance. An albatross laying a golden egg. He was already a great guitarist when he began his trek along 1969’s festival trail. How many times did he play “I’m Going Home” before Woodstock that summer? Likely dozens of times.
Alvin Graham Barnes Lee
Busy Band
Here’s theie North American tour list just for June and July:
After the Fillmore East dates, they flew back to do a European tour and did 20 more concerts! By the way, they’d already had done 40 European and American before returning for the summer of 1969. (complete list)
And while they may not have played “I’m Goin’ Home” at every gig, surely many heard it again and long before the album cut or the movie scene appeared in 1970.
But its filming at Woodstock preserved it and sent it worldwide. His name was and will forever be associated with that song and that performance.
Alvin Graham Barnes Lee
Remembering Alvin Lee
Some facts about Lee:
he was originally influenced by his parent’s collection of jazz and blues records
began playing guitar age 13
by aged 15 his Jaybirds band formed the core of Ten Years After
moved to London and changed the band’s name to Ten Years After in 1966
the band’s performance at the Windsor Jazz & Blues Festival in 1967 led to their first recording contract.
October 1967. Release of Ten Years After, the band’s first album.
concert promoter Bill Graham who invited the band to tour America for the first time in the summer of 1968. Ten Years After would ultimately tour the USA 28 times in 7 years, more than any other U.K. band.
Ten Years After had great success, releasing ten albums together between 1967 and 1973.
after the breakup of Ten Years After, Lee continue to form bands and record music.
Lee’s overall musical output includes more than 20 albums.
neither Alvin Lee nor Ten Years After are in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
