Ohio University Public Radio Presents New Series, 'Live from Fur Peace Ranch'

Contact: Olivea Oldham, public information coordinator, (740) 593-4944 or Rusty Smith, FM radio program manager and producer, (740) 593-4947

ATHENS, Ohio (February 22, 2001) -- Join Ohio University Public Radio on March 4 at 8 p.m. for the premiere of a new concert series. "Live From the Fur Peace Ranch" brings to the airwaves a series of concerts taped in an intimate performance setting at Jorma Kaukonen's Fur Peace Ranch in Meigs County, Ohio.

Jorma Kaukonen was a founding member of the '60s rock band Jefferson Airplane and, while still with that group, co-founded Hot Tuna with Airplane bass guitarist Jack Casady. He has performed with many of the rock luminaries of the '60s and '70s, from Janis Joplin and Jimi Hendrix to Bob Dylan and Jerry Garcia. With Hot Tuna and as a solo artist, Jorma has been able to showcase his love for acoustic music, especially blues in the style of the Reverend Gary Davis.

Conceived in 1989 by Jorma & Vanessa Kaukonen, the Fur Peace Ranch is nestled in the rolling foothills of southeast Ohio, and serves as a seasonal instructional facility, year round restaurant, concert hall, and conference center. Instruction is offered by Jorma and visiting musicians on guitar and other instruments. The concert hall is a performance space with outstanding acoustics where audiences can share a truly intimate musical event.

The radio series "Live From the Fur Peace Ranch" presents a healthy sampling of concerts performed in this setting. The first program features John Hartford, known for his appearances on the Glen Campbell Good Time Hour in the '60s, writing the classic "Gentle On My Mind," his Grammy Award winning album "Mark Twang" in 1976, and his ongoing infatuation with steamboats and old-time fiddle tunes. His band for this show included Mike Compton, former mandolin player with the Nashville Bluegrass Band.

Future broadcasts include is a "Guitar Summit" March 18th featuring Jorma Kaukonen, Chris Smither, and Robert Jones. Smither's smooth, lyrical guitar style encompasses elements of folk, blues, country and rock, and he plays in a fluid, busy style that is as breathtaking as it is effortless. His expressive vocals demand attention. Smither's albums span from the '60s to the present, and he is best known for other artists' recordings of his songs, including Bonnie Raitt's versions of "Love Me Like a Man" and "I Feel the Same," and John Mayall's recording of "Mail Order Mystics." Robert Jones is a native of Detroit with roots in Alabama and Mississippi. His background includes over fifteen years of experience as a blues performer, historian, radio-broadcaster, and educator. He is also an ordained Baptist minister who feels that blues has a lot to offer in terms of spiritual content. Jones is an extraordinary instrumentalist, playing guitar, slide guitar, harmonica, mandolin, fiddle, quills, and banjo in a variety of regional styles.

"Live from the Fur Peace Ranch" will be broadcast every other Sunday at 8 p.m. Scheduled performers in the series include:

• 3/4 -- John Hartford
• 3/18 -- Guitar Summit part one, featuring Chris Smither, Robert Jones, and Jorma Kaukonen.
• 4/1 -- Jorma Kaukonen. The ranch boss gets his turn on stage.
• 4/15 -- Peter Rowan. A singer-songwriter with some serious bluegrass roots. A one-time member of Bill Monroe's Bluegrass Boys, he played guitar and sang lead in that band and co-wrote the classic "Walls of Time" with Monroe. He has performed with many other artists in other styles, prompting Monroe to caution him to not get so far out on the limb lest he fall off. From bluegrass to Native American vocalizations, a performance not to be missed.
• 4/29 -- John Hammond. From coffeehouses to concert halls, festivals and beyond, John Hammond has spent more than thirty five years entertaining blues, folk, and rock audiences around the world, performing intense solo-acoustic blues. A Grammy Award winner who also enjoyed successive W.C. Handy awards in 1994, 1995 and 1996, Hammond has shared the stage and or recorded with many of the masters, including Muddy Waters, Willie Dixon, John Lee Hooker, and Howlin' Wolf.
• 5/13 -- G. E. Smith. Best known as the guitarist for Hall and Oates in the '80s and as the leader of the Saturday Night Live band, Smith is found here with a blistering set of electric blues.
• 5/27 -- Jorma Kaukonen and Jack Casady. The duo from the Jefferson Airplane and Hot Tuna pare the sound back to bass and guitar.
• 6/10 -- Roy Book Binder. Like Jorma, very influenced by the Reverend Gary Davis, tempered with a big dose of Pink Anderson. An excellent guitarist and singer, and an outstanding story teller.
• 6/24 -- "Guitar Summit pt. 2." More from the concert featuring Chris Smither, Robert Jones, and Jorma Kaukonen.