Hot Tuna | |
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Casady, Kaukonen, and Mitterhoff, performing at The Somerville Theater near Boston, Mass. on June 18, 2013
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Background information | |
Origin | San Francisco, USA |
Genres | Blues, blues rock,Americana |
Years active | 1969–1977, 1983, 1986–present |
Labels | RCA/Grunt, Relix, Eagle, Red House |
Associated acts | Jefferson Airplane |
Website | www |
Members |
Jack Casady Jorma Kaukonen Barry Mitterhoff |
Past members |
Joey Covington Paul Kantner Marty Balin Peter Kaukonen Paul Ziegler Papa John Creach Sammy Piazza Bob Steeler Michael Falzarano Shigemi Komiyama Joey Balin Joey Stefko Harvey Sorgen Galen Underwood Pete Sears Erik Diaz Skoota Warner |
Hot Tuna is an American blues band formed in 1969 by guitarist Jorma Kaukonen and bassist Jack Casady.
Hot Tuna began during a break in Jefferson Airplane's touring schedule in early 1969 while Grace Slick recovered from throat node surgery that left her unable to perform. Jorma Kaukonen, Jack Casady, Paul Kantner, and new drummer Joey Covington played several shows around San Francisco including the Airplane's original club, The Matrix, before Jefferson Airplane resumed performing to support the album Volunteers. Although Covington had been hired by Jefferson Airplane to fill in for Spencer Dryden, Covington was only called when needed and Dryden continued to perform with the Airplane.
Their early repertoire derived mainly from Airplane material that Jorma played and covers of American country and blues artists such as Rev. Gary Davis, Jelly Roll Morton, Bo Carter and Arthur Blake (Blind Blake). In addition, Jack & Jorma played as a duo with Jorma on acoustic guitar. Beginning in October 1969, Hot Tuna performed as the opening act to Jefferson Airplane with a combination of both electric and acoustic sets. The band's name came from someone Kaukonen refers to as a "witty wag" who called out, "hot tuna" after hearing the line 'What's that smell like fish, oh baby,' from the song "Keep On Truckin'."
In September 1969, a week of concerts were recorded at New Orleans House in Berkeley and released as a live album in 1970, Hot Tuna. (This album has become affectionately known by the group's fans as the "breaking glass album", because of the sound of breaking beer glasses during the recording of "Uncle Sam Blues".) Jorma's brother Peter Kaukonen soon replaced Kantner on rhythm guitar and Marty Balin joined on vocals for the electric songs.