Hot Tuna

Hot Tuna

Hot Tuna is a San Francisco-based group formed in 1969 by Jorma Kaukonen and Jack Casady, both of whom also play in Jefferson Airplane. The band begins as a blues-rock side project while Jefferson Airplane is still active, and its first album is recorded live in Berkeley in 1969. Hot Tuna remains active and continues to tour.

Style and sound

The group is associated with acoustic blues, blues rock, folk and rock. Its early material centres on the interplay between Kaukonen and Casady, with Casady regarded by many listeners as an especially inventive bass player.

Members and line-up

Alongside Kaukonen and Casady, Hot Tuna’s history includes Joey Covington, Will Scarlett, Papa John Creach, Sammy Piazza, Michael Falzarano, Joey Balin, Pete Sears, Barry Mitterhoff, Skoota Warner, Greg Douglass and Bob Steeler. Covington helps found the group in 1969 while Jefferson Airplane is still in its early period.

Related work

Hot Tuna continues alongside the members’ wider work with Jefferson Airplane and later Jefferson Starship connections. Covington’s own career includes work with Jefferson Airplane, where he replaces Spencer Dryden during the recording of Volunteers, writes and sings “Pretty As You Feel” from Bark, later co-writes “With Your Love” for Spitfire, and tours with various San Francisco Allstars line-ups in the 1980s and 1990s.

Archive and recordings

The band maintains an official website at hottuna.com, and another site, hottunatunes.com, offers downloads from recent live dates and older recordings that document the group’s live approach.