Jorma Kaukonen of Airplane/Hot Tuna Pens Memoir

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As the co-founder of two beloved high-profile bands, first Jefferson Airplane and then—for nearly 50 years now—Hot Tuna, Jorma Kaukonen has experienced the rock ’n’ roll life up close. Now, he tells his tale in a memoir, Been So Long—My Life and Music, published by St. Martin’s Press on Aug. 28.

The book is available for order here.

The guitarist/singer/songwriter’s book, the first from any of the original Airplane members—Grace Slick, not an original member, published hers in 1998 and latter-day Airplane/Jefferson Starship drummer Johny Barbata published his in 2007—charts his personal history from childhood through his music career.

In an official statement, Kaukonen said, “There are those who talk about writing books and those who actually do it. I guess this is my chance to jump from one camp to the other…My story is my story. Having told bits and pieces of it over my lifetime to a treasured few, it was time to tell all to a bigger audience.”

In addition to recording and touring as both a solo artist and with Jack Casady in Hot Tuna, Kaukonen and his wife Vanessa co-operate the Fur Peace Ranch, a guitar camp in Ohio.

In addition to the book news, Hot Tuna has unveiled an extensive list of fall tour dates. Go here and here for tickets.

Electric Hot Tuna
Sep 04: Sacramento, CA – Crest Theatre
Sep 06: Los Angeles, CA – El Rey Theatre
Sep 07: Las Vegas, NV – Brooklyn Bowl
Sep 08: Scottsdale, AZ – Scottsdale Center for the Perf. Arts
Sep 10: Tucson, AZ – Rialto Theatre
Sep 11: Albuquerque, NM – KiMo Theatre
Nov 17: Pomeroy, OH – Fur Peace Station
Nov 21: New York, NY – Beacon Theatre

Acoustic Hot Tuna
Sep 27: Ithaca, NY – State Theatre
Sep 28: Northampton, MA – Academy of Music
Sep 29: Katonah, NY – Caramoor Center
Sep 30: Bethel, NY – Bethel Woods Center for the Arts
Oct 11: Randolph, VT – Chandler Center for the Arts
Oct 12: Beverly, MA – Cabot Theater
Oct 13: North Truro, MA – Payomet Performing Arts Center
Oct 14: Albany, NY – The Egg Performing Arts Center
Nov 10: Pomeroy, OH – Fur Peace Station
Nov 23: Waterville, ME – Waterville Opera House
Nov 24: Derry, NY – Tupelo Music Hall
Nov 25: Ridgefield, CT -Ridgefield Playhouse
Nov 27: Washington, DC – City Winery
Nov 29: Owings Mills, MD – Gordon Center for the Performing Arts
Nov 30: Marietta, OH – Peoples Bank Theatre
Dec 01: Ann Arbor, MI – The Ark
Dec 03: Cleveland, OH – Music Box Supper Club
Dec 05: Fort Wayne, IN – The Clyde Theatre
Dec 07: Chicago, IL – Old Town School of Folk Music (2 shows)
Dec 08: Hopkins, MN – Hopkins Center for the Arts
Dec 09: Madison, WI – Barrymore theatre
Dec 11: St. Louis, MO – Delmar Hall
Dec 12: Lawrence, KS – Liberty Hall
Dec 14: Boulder, CO – Boulder Theater
Jan 22: Key West, FL – Key West Theatre
Jan 24: Orlando, FL – Plaza Theatre
Jan 25: Clearwater, FL – Capitol Theatre
Jan 26: Bonita Springs, FL – Southwest Florida Events Center