October 2010

Is autumn really here? Once again, we find ourselves doing a quick reality check. What happened to summer? Didn’t we just open the Ranch to our 13th season? Oh wait a minute…that was in March.

I don’t know about you, but this year flew by. It seems like we went from a cold winter right into a very long hot summer. I made sure that I enjoyed every moment because I love the heat. A few years ago, Jorma and I put in a pool and this year we really used it. Our daughter learned to swim this summer. I spent countless weekends working by the pool. We had a few kids parties and enjoyed the company of family on the weekends, swimming, barbequing and really feeling blessed.

Last week, we had our annual Pick and Putt motorcycle guitar weekend and the weather was great. Warm in fact, but by the time last Sunday rolled around, I was cranking the heat on at home when I woke up because I was cold. In September I thought? This is early.

I came home from work on Tuesday only to find Jorma cursing the pool balloons as he was preparing to close up the pool before he left for tour. As I stood there in a daze realizing that the golden tan I was sporting from days poolside was about start it’s fade back to my alabaster white, colorless skin, everything around me came into view. The lack of leaves on the trees, my past due garden that now looks like an old grave yard, my crunchy faded Zinnias and the sullenness of it all…then I heard Jorma say, “Isn’t this beautiful?” I knew he wasn’t talking about the pool balloons. He was standing there like me breathing it all in in rhythm with God. “We’re so lucky, Ness,” he said. “We just had the best weekend ever (we always say that…because every weekend tops the one prior at the Ranch), with the greatest students and the greatest music and the greatest instructors…there are no ripple’s in my pond today.” There I was, feeling a little sad and I had to agree. What the Ranch has given us cannot be put into words. I try every week, but you could never know how we truly feel. My heart was full.

It is my Autumn Adagio…the great dance at the end of the year where all the moments and all of the lessons from the beginning of this year come into view. And as the bright sun falls low I will use this season and the one ahead as a retreat, and I will remember how blessed I am and how much the Ranch and all of you have made me a better person. I know….too soon to get melancholy. We still have four camps left. I’m just preparing myself so winter doesn’t sneak up on me. I will remain still grateful beneath my suntan. Maybe a little pale but not pale in spirit….dreaming of how it all came to be, looking forward in time to next years pool season and dreaming of The Fur Peace Ranch.

Jorma set to receive award and recognition from The Ohioana Library Association

The Ohioana Library Association announced the 16 recipients of the 2010 Ohioana Awards. Jorma will receive the Ohioana Citation for Music and Education. Linda Hengst, executive director of the Ohioana Library Association, stated, “Ohio has fostered amazing talent! Among this year’s award recipients are our very own, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Jorma Kaukonen. Jorma has been recognized for his significant contributions to the literary, artistic, and musical life of Ohio and our nation."

Congratulations Jorma!! He will receive his award on October 16th at a luncheon at the State House in Columbus....then he’ll be dashing over to Whole Foods to debut his coffee ......busy guy! Congratulations again Jorma!

If you haven’t had a chance to experience Jorma’s Campfire Blend Coffee, now you can....while he serenades you. Come to Whole Foods on Dublin Road in Columbus Ohio on October 16th at 4pm and grab a cup of coffee with Jorma. The only thing that’ll be missing is the campfire.

The Beacon Theatre Update……..

We still have a few tickets remaining for each night! So if you know of anyone who needs tickets send them to The Fur Peace Company Store. You must secure at least 2 tickets to either show. No singles please. We have Orchestra Seating and Loge seats available. Once these tickets are gone the shows will officially be sold out!

Jack Casady….Bass Master

It has been said, If you don't know Jorma, you don't know Jack! Jack Casady that is. In my opinion, one of the greatest bass players of all time. A founding member of the Jefferson Airplane and Hot Tuna, Jack Casady's full driving tone and innovative melodic bass work has defined the role of bass guitar in Rock and Roll for close to four decades. Liberating the bass from its traditional role as part of the rhythm section, Jack's pioneering approach has brought the instrument to the forefront. With sweeping chords and stormy melodic lines his bass distinguished not only the Jefferson Airplane and Hot Tuna but also a variety of side projects and recordings with artists including Jimi Hendrix, David Crosby, Warren Zevon, Country Joe and The Fish, SVT, Rusted Root and Gov't Mule.

In addition, like a craftsman with his tools, as Jack developed his own unique sound he began to work closely with equipment design in his quest for the perfect tone. Instrumental in the development of "Alembic basses," in the late sixties, Jack has since designed his own Epiphone Jack Casady Signature Bass which you can find at just about any guitar shop.

Jack's devotion to the music and his desire to encourage the development of other players is witnessed in his involvement here at The Fur Peace Ranch Guitar Camp. He'll be coming this November teaching a level 3/4 class and again in April 2011 and November 2011, teaching a level 2/3 class. I am sure you noticed that his classes this year sold out, and his 2011 classes are filling up fast. Don't let that discourage you. You can still be wait listed for this year and still have a shot at one of his classes in 2011. Jack is a master and a great teacher and he would love to teach you what he knows.

This workshop is sold out.

Steve Kimock

Steve Kimock is an American Rock musician. His brand of guitar playing defies a categorization. Gypsy, jazz and rock have been his home and his clean edge playing and unique tone has been captivating audiences for more than thirty years. His ability to articulate tone, melody and emotion into music combined with technical brilliance has earned Kimock the title Guitar Monk˛ by Relix Magazine for his commitment to guitar, and his ability to make it speak with its own original voice.

Kimock co-founded the Jazz/Rock fusion band Zero in the 80's, KVHW in the 90's and is currently performing in his new act, Crazy Engine. He is widely embraced as one who carries the free-form torch of improvisation, through an extensive catalog of original material in his own bands, as well as through live performances with so many esteemed musicians.

Kimock has performed with Bruce Hornsby (and can be heard on two of Hornsby's releases), John Cipollina, Jerry Garcia and all members of the Grateful Dead, as well as Peter Frampton, Bonnie Raitt, Bobby Vega, Martin Fierro, Joe Satriani, Baaba Maal, Angelique Kidjo, The Allman Brothers, Buddy Miles, Buddy Cage, Screamin' Jay Hawkins, Elvin Bishop, Norton Buffalo, Amos Garrett, Warren Haynes, Hadi Al Sadoon, Stephen Perkins, Nicky Hopkins, Freddie Roulette, George Porter Jr., Steve Winwood, all members of Phish, Derek Trucks, Ivan Neville, Grace Slick, Papa John Creach, and many more.

This workshop is sold out.

September 11, 2010 – Benefit Concert for the Athens County Chapter of the American Red Cross featuring The Infamous Stringdusters

Earlier this year Pam Martino, the new director of the Athens County Chapter of the American Red Cross, came to Vanessa and the Ranch for lunch to discuss her work with the Red Cross and her need to cultivate contacts and donors throughout her service area. Vanessa offered to host a luncheon which would help Pam achieve those goals, and then went beyond by telling Pam that John was in the midst of adding a show to the Ranch schedule in early September, and that she would like to donate the proceeds to the Red Cross. Pam was speechless, but after a brief pause accepted whole-heartedly.

On September 11 we hosted our Bluegrass and BBQ benefit concert featuring The Infamous Stringdusters. The gates opened at 6 PM on this special evening, an hour earlier than usual, allowing guests the time to take a tour of the Ranch and see the buildings and cabins that are usually closed off to concert goers during our workshop weekends . . . and of course enjoy some great barbeque eats.

Once The Infamous Stringdusters pulled in and piled out, their gear was set up within moments and they began to jam . . . boy this is going to be some night, the band was already fired up and ready to play. Jorma who was standing on the covered patio, with a big smile, exclaims “I love this stuff!” Once they completed their sound check, they sat down to a nice meal in the Beatrice Love Kitchen.

The show followed up on the enthusiasm they displayed earlier in the evening delivery two sets of some of the finest bluegrass music around. If you haven't heard these guys, and you like bluegrass music, you definitely need to give these guys a listen.

September 24-27, 2011 - 9th Annual Pick-N-Putt

The 9th Annual Pick-n-Putt weekend went off without a hitch!

We had a total of 20 bikers for Saturday's big ride, 13 students/instructors, plus seven local riders who are season ticket holders and/or friends of Jorma and Vanessa. While Friday was quite warm with temperatures in the 90's, the big ride began early Saturday morning which greeted the riders with much cooler temperatures. They began the ride by heading south out of the Ranch and then west along SR 124 towards Wilkesville. The ride then headed north along the western portion of Meigs and Athens county towards Neslonville, passing through portions of the Wayne National Forest as they turned east towards the Glouster/Trimble area of Athens county. At that point they started making their way back to the Ranch passing through the town of Amesville and clipping the edge of Athens. In total the bikers covered approximately 120 miles, making a large loop around Meigs and Athens Counties. We are happy to report that the "big" ride Saturday morning went smoothly without an incident. In fact it went so smoothly that the riders began arriving back at the Ranch just before lunch!

The show Saturday evening had many arriving early and filling the Station to capacity! Jorma started things rolling with a great solo set including such numbers as "Things That Might've Been", "Death Don't Have No Mercy," and "I See The Light" among others. After the break Bill and Spencer took to the stage with their "Honky Tonk Heaven". This "Honk Tonk Heaven" performance was spawned a few years ago here at the Ranch when Bill and Spencer had performed one of the Ranch's Sunday night secret performances. It was such a special performance then that Ranch manager John Hurlbut, asked them if they could do it again, except this time Saturday night for the big public performance. What a performance it was (be sure to catch it on WOUB in the near future). While they played together most of the time, Spencer and Bill each took a short break allowing each other to play 2 or 3 solo numbers. They were also joined by Jorma at one point for Kirchen's "Talkin' About Chicken", and Oteil joined them on bass for the final number of the evening.

Sunday's student performance may have been a little short, but was sweet. The show started off with a trio comprised of Tom Herr, Marlo Lewis and Robert Gittli cranking out a solid version of Jethro Tull's "Locomotive Breath." Oteil's class did a wonderful all bass performance of George Harrison's "Something". Oteil's class had worked this song out during their class time and was quite well done. We also heard a nice version of "Good Shepherd" before the performance was brought to a close with quartet comprised of John Hurlbut, Marlo Lewis, Ben Hochberg, and Spencer Bohren. This quartet settled in on Dylan's "She Belongs To Me" which sure sounded great with Spencer's work on the slide guitar. Kudos to all!

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Read more about what’s happening at FPR and On-The-Road

• Jorma – Cracks In The Finish
• Vanessa - The Labryinth
• Hurl – Checkin’ The Levels

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