On Monday, June 16, the Waterville Opera House will host an evening of the music of two legendary acts: Hot Tuna and Leon Russell. The latter performer is well known for his signature sound and songwriting abilities (some of his most famous songs include “A Song for You,” “Delta Lady” and “This Masquerade”). Hot Tuna is made up of Jorma Kaukonen and Jack Casady. Bassist Casady is a founding member of Jefferson Airplane, a group that Kaukonen, guitarist with the band, encouraged him to join in 1965 — needless to say, the rest is musical history as the band reached superstardom in 1967 with the hits “Somebody To Love” and “White Rabbit.” In 1970, the duo decided to start a blues-influenced side-project with an equally unique moniker, Hot Tuna. The two lifelong friends (Casady met Kaukonen when he was 14 and they formed several bands before Kaukonen moved to California for college) are still together making music in the side-project that became their main gig for more than four decades. In a recent telephone interview from his California home, Casady chatted about his career and the tour that will be bringing the duo back to Maine once more.

Q: You’ll be performing at the Waterville Opera House with Leon Russell, correct?

Casady: Yes, we’re playing a string of shows with Leon and have done a few in the past … he has such a rich history that his shows are very entertaining as well as informative.

Q: Will this be a co-headlining show with Mr. Russell?

Casady: Yes, it will.

Q: Is this going to be an acoustic or an electric show for Hot Tuna?

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Casady: It will be acoustic.

Q: Is it going to be just the two of you performing?

Casady: No, we will have Barry Mitterhoff on mandolin, he’s been with us for over 10 years now.

Q: Do you ever perform with Leon Russell during your show?

Casady: No, we never have but one of these shows we might — you never know.

Q: It sounds like you’re still having fun doing this — even after 50-plus years of making music.

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Casady: I really am and Jorma and I have so much fun when we’re on stage that we put everything we have into that two hours.

Q: Having seen you many times over the years in both the acoustic and electric configurations, your work ethic of putting your heart and soul into each and every performance is admirable, commendable … not to mention very entertaining.

Casady: Well, I love the aspect of traveling. I mean we spend 22 hours to get to the two hours on stage, and sometimes it’s more fun than others traveling but the essence is for us to go to the people — that’s what we do, that’s what it’s all about — and by doing that you place yourself in a different town and a different environment every night. In that sense it can’t help but all be new if we allow it to be.

Q: Because there’s a different vibe in every venue that you go to?

Casady: There’s a different atmosphere in every one, correct.

Q: After so many years together with Jorma, do you find that there’s a kind of telepathy between you two?

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Casady: Well, we’ve played so much together for so long that I guess there is … but that’s another reason that we enjoy putting it all out there every night because, as I mentioned before, every night is different and unique.

Q: Is there anything you’d like to pass on to the folks reading this article about your upcoming show at the Waterville Opera House?

Casady: Just that with us and Leon, they should have a good night of music and one that they will really enjoy.

Lucky Clark has spent 45 years writing about good music and the people who make it. He can be reached at luckyc@myfairpoint.net if you have any questions, comments or suggestions.


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