Jorma Kaukonen (Jefferson Airplane/Hot Tuna) on How He Survived It All
Andy Frasco's World Saving Podcast
Andy Frasco
4.8 • 575 Ratings
🗓️ 14 April 2026
⏱️ 55 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
85-year-old rock legend, Jorma Kaukonen of Jefferson Airplane, joins the show for a wide-ranging, honest conversation about music, life on the road, and what it really means to keep going. From the wild early days of Jefferson Airplane to the evolution of Hot Tuna, this episode dives into the highs, the chaos, and the lessons learned along the way.
We get into touring then versus now, the reality behind the party era, and how perspective shifts with age. There are stories about couch surfing gigs, recording classic albums, and the moment success becomes real. The conversation also explores recovery, creativity, and why passion never really fades if you are doing what you love.
It is funny, raw, and surprisingly reflective. If you have ever lived life on the road or chased something bigger than yourself, this one will hit.
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | I was doing a job a couple of years ago in Columbus. |
| 0:03.8 | I opened a show for Tommy Emanuel. |
| 0:07.1 | And somebody asked Tommy, where was bullshitting backstage? |
| 0:10.8 | And somebody, one of the people, asked Tommy, do you ever think about retiring? |
| 0:14.7 | And Tommy said, from what? |
| 0:16.7 | You know? |
| 0:17.8 | What, my passion, my dream? |
| 0:23.1 | Okay. |
| 0:23.8 | And we're live. |
| 0:24.5 | Andy Frasco's old TV podcast. |
| 0:26.2 | Hey, Nick, how you done? |
| 0:27.9 | Better than you. |
| 0:30.4 | I'm having fun. |
| 0:31.7 | Are you? |
| 0:33.7 | Crying. |
| 0:34.9 | Andy Frasco's a little safe podcast. |
| 0:36.5 | We got Nick Gerlock. |
| 0:38.5 | We got our producer Neil showed up to work today, everyone. |
| 0:41.4 | Wow. |
| 0:41.9 | Unbelievable. |
| 0:42.6 | What a beautiful. |
| 0:43.6 | He wasn't in Bali or something. |
... |
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