Special Guests

Special Guests
Saturday, June 21, 2003


	Jorma Kaukonen

JORMA KAUKONEN was born in Washington, D. C. and became interested in old-time country and the blues around age 16. In 1965, Kaukonen joined the rock band Jefferson Airplane, and as lead guitarist and songwriter, Kaukonen helped the band rocket to superstardom in the late '60s. Jefferson Airplane became a cornerstone of San Francisco's rock scene and was so legendary that in 1995 it was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. However, as much as Kaukonen enjoyed playing with Jefferson Airplane, he wanted to return to the country and blues music he loved, so in the early 1970s, Kaukonen and Jack Casady, a high school friend who also played in the band, left Jefferson Airplane and created a new band: Hot Tuna. Although intended to be a "bluesman's holiday," from their previous band, Hot Tuna has now endured for 30 years and has released 27 albums. Today Kaukonen tours with Casady as a duo and is considered one of the most important guitarists of our time. Kaukonen has released a total of 40 albums spanning his solo and band career and on the weekends he teaches at the Fur Peace Ranch Guitar Camp.

BARRY MITTERHOFF's interest in music began while he was attending junior high and high school in a small town in New Jersey. Mitterhoff originally played guitar, but was introduced to the mandolin by his aunt, Sylvia Reuben, who played in a 15-piece mandolin group, and he gave up the guitar to pursue the mandolin. Mitterhoff later joined the band Skyline, which released its first album in 1977, and toured and recorded intensely in Europe and America for 12 years. In 1989 the band decide to call it quits, but in the late '90s they started doing shows again, averaging about 10 gigs a year. After Mitterhoff stopped touring constantly with Skyline, he began to focus more on becoming a versatile mandolinist who is able to play a wide variety of styles; Mitterhoff did just that and today is known as an artist whose emphasis is on the bluegrass style, but is more than capable of playing anything. Mitterhoff's most recent projects include the release of a new CD in 2000, entitled Time, with the band Silk City, featuring members of the former band Skyline, and being an active mandolin teacher.


	Cindy Cashdollar

CINDY CASHDOLLAR grew up in Woodstock, NY and was captivated by Delta blues music at a young age; she began playing guitar when she was eleven. She now plays steel guitar and dobro and has won five Grammy Awards through her recording with leading country, roots, jazz and folk artists. She spent eight years touring, playing and recording with the Western swing band Asleep at the Wheel and her talents can also be heard on Bob Dylan's Grammy-winning Album of the Year Time Out of Mind as well as on recordings by Manhattan Transfer, The Dixie Chicks, Reba McEntire and Willie Nelson. Cashdollar has also made three instructional videos for steel guitar and dobro and conducts workshops across the nation.