(There’s always late breaking news. Sometimes good, sometimes bad… and sometimes it just is. I got a call early this morning from a friend who told me that Robert Hunter had just passed. ‘Don’t say anything,’ he said. The family hasn’t announced yet. That’s what they wanted and that’s what I did. My orbit tangented Robert’s from time to time. I played on his Amagamalin Street. double LP back in the 80’s. We never really hung out, but over the years we occasionally worked together and… in a distant way he was a respected friend. I shall miss sharing the same astral plane with him.)
Robert, Jorma and Bob
This picture was taken fifteen years ago easily… there we are, frozen in time for the times to come.
Fall is beginning to wrap its leafy fingers around us all here in Southeast Ohio. The end of another year is underway and even before it arrives I know that Spring will come again and the world will continue to spin. If indeed there is another destination for us when we shuffle off this mortal coil, I hope that Robert is there surrounded by people who will challenge his intellectual curiosity.
Fair winds and following seas my friend.
Back to the Ranch Diary
Yeah, it was a great road trip and he gigs were some of the best ever… great venues, great people to play with… good times! Sometimes I hear, ‘Yeah, you’re going home. Gonna kick back for a while?’ Are you kidding? Kicking back is not part of my existence, and for me that is a good thing! The detritus of the atmosphere in the bus finally caught up with me and as the week evolved I started to show signs of something. Tour Kennel Cough we call it. That said, I had two motorcycle rides to lead. It’s a tough job, but someone had to do it!
The Sportsters fuel up in Nelsonville.
Foto by jorma Kaukonen
The big bikes all had five plus gallon fuel tanks so the gas stops were for the two Sportsters with peanut tanks. There were some detours due to Fall construction and the ride wound up being 130 plus miles… then back to the Fur Peace Ranch, a class, dinner and the concert with Rob and Trey with me opening the show.
Nessa blows the conch shell for dinner
Drone shot by Jorma Kaukonen
As time approached for set opener I had no voice at all. I grabbed John Hurlbut and asked him if he wanted to do the gig with me, and do all the singing. He said ‘Sure,’ and started to make up a set. What are friends for?
The Kaukonen/Hurlbut Allstar Review:
Embryonic Journey…..Jorma
Ballad of Easy Rider…..JK and JH
Kansas City Southern…. JK and JH
Oklahoma Hills…….JK and JH
The Old Homestead….JK and JH
Summertime…….JK and JH
Driftin and Driftin……JK and JH
All Along The Watchtower…..JK and JH
Thanks Brother Hurl, and… we gave the folks a great set!
Rob Ickes and Trey Hensley were awesome as they always are! Love these guys.
Before you knew it, Sunday came with Student Open Mike ans pictures et al.
Cameras anyone?
Foto by Vanessa Kaukonen
The collective classes
Foto by Vanessa Kaukonen
Well… fall is coming but it’s warm today…
Rob, Jorma & Trey
Foto by Vanessa Kaukonen
A great weekend with good friends!
Two wheeled friends blissfully together
Foto by Vanessa Kaukonen
RIP, Hunter.
Just wanted to chime in that my experience at FPR in August was one of the finest times
I have had related to music.
Shinin’ ole Rock smashing fresh in stock. Nth stellar concert mastered live on Earth at twilight (San Francisco) by the titanic Rock Band HOT TUNA. And it’s just the beginning, as they say.
Rock Them All High Tonight, Jorma!
His book was great ……
@johno
RIP Augustus Owsley Stanley III
@Chinaski
Thanks, really good article.
And the Boyz’ “Before We Were Them” is an excellent example of the fine work.
The San Francisco Chronicle features an interesting story about Owsley and his Sonic Journals, his tapes and what is to become of them:
https://www.sfgate.com/music/article/LSD-king-Owsley-Stanley-s-Sonic-Journals-11209700.php
@johno
You are welcome Johno. Jerry was a healthier guy then. Most often a beautiful sweet tone, through his Fender twin reverb amps and Mcintosh head, and the mosty tastiest of licks. I recall Garcia introducing Hunter as “my old pal”.
At Garcia’s funeral, held in a Christian Church in California, St. Stephen’s to be precise, w Bob Dylan and many others in attendance Hunter said something to the effect that he never told Jerry that he loved him.
Surviving this life, and with God’s word being true, as it says in the Book of Hebrews, “we are surrounded by a cloud of witnesses”.. Hunter may have the opportunity now to tell Jerry that he loves him.
Pray for peace
@Tom in St.Louis
Brother John makes good coffee too.
La Shona Tova to the Kaukonens and Tuna Nation
John Hurlbut is just the greatest, isn’t he?
We love that guy.
Thanks for turning me onto Promontory Rider be Robert Hunter and The Jerry Garcia Band. I was never was into the Grateful Dead – I was a Hot Tuna purist.
However I just love that song. Never heard it before.
@Tom NY
That’s quite a lineup!
And TTB is an amazing band
So much good music. We are so fortunate to be treated to.@Chappy
Andy K, yes I got to see Eric Krasno play with Foundation of Funk (with Zigaboo Modeliste, George Porter Jr, and John Medeski) at TTB’s last Sunshine Music Festival in January 2018 in St. Pete, FL. He’s a great guitarist indeed and that band was awesome too. Hot Tuna (electric) were on that bill as well and played a rockin’ hot set on a vey chilly night…about 35 degrees when they hit the stage.
Marty gone 1 year…That guy Balin did some incredible stuff in San Francisco…
Anyone ever have the pleasure to see/hear Eric Krasno (Soullive, Lettuce) play guitar?
http://www.erickrasno.com/about
He’s amazing…very talented player and producer.
Anyway I just read that his first concert growing up, his dad took him to see Hot Tuna at the legendary Capitol Theatre in Port Chester NY!
No surprise, Hot Tuna has inspired a new generation of musicians.
Thank you. @Dan Nigro
I saw that commercial a few times in one tv show and did a double take. wondered if permission was needed and granted.
Hi Susan… all these commercials are licensed well in advance…
Jorma
Yup, it caught me eye, and ears, yesterday. Pretty nice as commercials go.
Just heard it twice watching MTP daily
Did anyone besides me hear White Rabbit by Jefferson Airplane on television? It is being aired as background music by Celebrity Cruises and airing it in the NY Metro Market. They use the whole Alice in Wonderland theme. Look for it and for your residual check in the mail Jorma.
You can find Amagamalin St. complete album on You Tube
In 1984, I was fortunate enough to see Hunter performing with The Dinosaurs in Phoenix. It was a great show through and through, although John Cippolina did not look well even then. I wish Amagamalin St. was available through Apple Music or the like because I doubt the cassette tape I have of it in a box somewhere is still functioning. More importantly, I wish all of Jorma’s recordings on Relix were made available for streaming. The Land of Heroes and Too Many Years are two favorites that, with so many new cars eliminating CD players, can now only be played at home (which isn’t all bad, just less flexible). I will dare to dream. Speaking of streaming, I enjoyed watching Saturday’s show very much and look forward to seeing the Electric Hot Tuna show in November. Thank you guys for making that possible.
The motorcycle rides were outstanding – love the roads around there, especially the Triple Nickel – and Hurl really stepped up and helped out by playing a fine set with you JK, indeed. Sportsters generally need gas stops more often, but, as we know, they have been “BLOWING AWAY BIG TWINS SINCE 1957.” It was a marvelous weekend, and I am already looking forward to the next time.
Hunter, God rest and bless his soul.
He said once, his favorite line he had ever wrote was, “there is a fountain, that was not made by the hands of man.” A nod to the creator… I always liked his line from his and Garcia’s tune, “small wheel turns by the firing rod, big wheel turns by the grace of God”.
He alluded to Jesus Christ in some ways.
Found a stack of blank pictures
A passport out of Hell
Left here by a stranger
Seemed to wish me well
Signed, Promontory Rider
Territory Ranger
Asking: Can you thread a needle?
Can you shoot the moon?
Walk the silver screen
To your judgement at High Noon
Like any Promontory Rider?
Territory Ranger … step up
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLAd1HHzJzM
Above Garcia and Hunter doing Promontory Rider.
Great photo of Jorma, Robert Hunter and Bob Weir.
So sorry Robert had to leave this brokedown palace, peace be his journey.
Hey, just a bit of shameless self-promotion: if you get to Athens, pls stop in at the Kennedy Art Museum (the ‘Big dorm on the Hill’). There’s an exhibit of collections there that includes my collages of five decades of concert ticket stubs. Many from JK and FPS shows, as well as a 1972 JA from the LJS tour, I believe. Frank McDermott’s guitar exhibit is what you’ll really want to see, tho.
Enjoy your hometime, m
Let there be songs
To fill the air
RIP Robert Hunter . I had this fantasy of seeing him at the Ranch but that is no more……. “Our life Is Like A Mist…….’
Looks like a great time……I agree with you in that there is no sense in kickin back…..keep moving forward while we still can ! May God Bless and keep you always.
Robert Hunter, fare thee well…