Jerry Garcia of The Grateful Dead not only wrote and sang about peace, love and harmony and a life where everyone respected one-another -- he also lived it. “When I joined the band in 1990 as their keyboardist, Jerry could have brought me in as a sideman. But that was not Jerry’s way,” said Vince Welnick. “He made me an equal member of the band the first day I was on the job. That was Jerry’s way: he saw everyone as equals and treated everyone with respect. I think that is why the band was so successful.” Vince Welnick and Friends will be the closing band for the two-day Dunegrass Festival in Empire that starts at 11 a.m. on Friday, August 5 and finishes at 11 p.m. on Saturday, August 6. Before Welnick and Friends take the stage to offer a tribute to Garcia who passed away in 1995 (he would have been 63 on August 1) , Hot Tuna featuring the legendary Jack Casady and Jorma Kaukonen will tune up the crowd.
MASTERMINDS That’s right, Rock and Roll Hall of Famer’s Jack Casady and Jorma Kaukonen are coming to little Empire, Michigan to perform at the Dunegrass Festival. In case you are in need of a little rock-and-roll refresher course, Casady is one of rock’s most renowned bass players, and Kaukonen was instrumental in putting the “psychedelic” into rock and roll guitar. The band they co-founded was Jefferson Airplane, with the hits “Somebody to Love” and “White Rabbit.” So just who masterminded this musical coup of three of the best musicians to pick up their respective instruments? Grassroots Production partners Stephen Volas and Jeremiah Sequoia along with festival co-founder Mike Vandenberg, who started the Dunegrass in 1993. In the early 1990s classmates Volas and Sequoia were beating to a different drumbeat than their fellow students at Benzie Central High School. While others were into the power metal and grunge scenes, Volas and Sequioa were “Deadheads” and “jam banders,” worshiping the likes of the Grateful Dead, Phish and The Dave Matthews Band.
COMMITTED DEADHEADS After graduation in 1993 they became committed Deadheads, following the Grateful Dead around the country. When Jerry Garcia died and the Dead disbanded, the two became followers of Phish, attending hundreds of shows. Eventually, Volas would go to work for the Phish non-profit foundation, Waterwheel. Through it all the two friends learned about the art of great music and yearned for an opportunity to come back to Northern Michigan and bring with them their passion for music. Returning home the two shared their vision with Vandenberg, and they decided to partner together to expand the festival. “Yeah, we decided to kick it up a couple of notches,” said Vandenberg. “I am pleased with the line-up. We started this festival to give local musicians a venue. We are still featuring a lot of local musicians with a nice blend of internationally renowned musicians as well.”
HOT TUNA Certainly at the top of that list is Hot Tuna. The band formed in 1970 when lifelong friends Jack Casady and Jorma Kaukonen decided to create a side project outside their work with Jefferson Airplane. “The music that excited Jorma and myself at the time didn’t fit the Jefferson Airplane mold, so we did both for awhile,” said Casady. “It got to be too much and we decided in 1972 that we preferred the Hot Tuna over Jefferson Airplane. I guess I didn’t see myself holding onto a couple of pop songs for the rest of my life and trying to make a career out of it. We made the right choice because we are free to explore musically.” As for history, the two grew up in Washington D.C., and while in high school in the late ‘50s they formed a garage band. Jorma was a year older and left for college. He eventually left school for the San Francisco music scene. While Jack was off at college, Jorma met up with what would become the founding members of the Jefferson Airplane. In need of a bass player, he called on his old high school buddy. “When he told me we had a manager who was going to pay us 50 bucks a week whether we worked or not, I left school and moved out and joined the band,” said Casady. “Those were great times and it was fun to have been part of it.”
MUTUAL RESPECT Both Casady and Kaukonen have earned the respect of numerous players of the bass and guitar. While both of them are pleased with their musical accomplishments and continue to grow musically, they are most pleased with their ability to keep their friendship and musical partnership together for almost 50 years. Bands are like marriages -- most end in divorce. “I think the reason we didn’t end in divorce is because of our mutual respect for one another,” said Casady. “We have lives away from each other, families and other interests, so that helps. But there is definitely a connection between us that helps keep it together as well.” Certainly a highlight for their careers was the 1995 induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. As 2006 nears, so does the 40th anniversary of Jefferson Airplane. Any chance of a reunion tour? “No. Remember that analogy to bands being like marriages? Well us getting back together would be like having five ex-wives on stage,” said Casady. “It just isn’t going to happen. We had our run; we had out time. Both Jorma and I are in a good place with our music right now. No need to go back. Look, there are a lot of ways to define success: money, fame, but at the end of the day it is about being true to you, and when that happens you sleep at night without pills.” Okay, so can you believe that Jack Casady and Jorma Kaukonen are coming to Empire? “No. Where the hell is it?” laughs Casady. “Actually, we have heard it is beautiful up there, and that the people have a wonderful appreciation for music. We looked over the line-up and think it is great. We are big fans of Chris Smither and Vince Welnick.”
DEAD ALUMNI Vince Welnick and Friends will close the festival down with a tribute to Jerry Garcia, The Grateful Dead and the psychedelic musical era of the 1960s. “The music was so good back then. Now, we are a jam band, so who knows what we will break into – maybe some Beattles, The Who, whatever comes to the heart,” said Welnick. “We will certainly do a lot of Jerry tunes. His music is great and since he is not here to sing them anymore, I am going to do it.” So what happened to all that great music of the ‘60s? “Well the 1970s came along and ruined everything,” said Welnick. “No, there is good music in every generation but that period in the 1960s created music that connected the people together. I think it is why it is becoming so popular again today.” Welnick, originally from Phoenix, founded the band The Tubes during the 1960s, a group that would have the hits, “White Punks On Dope,” and “She’s A Beauty.” The band was ahead of its time. “That’s an understatement. We recorded some songs 35 years ago that the label is finally releasing,” said Welnick. “You could say we were way out there musically. We were also one of the first bands to make videos, and when MTV finally came around, our stuff was too provocative for them.”
JOINING THE DEAD In 1990 Grateful Dead keyboardist Brent Mydland died of an overdose. It marked the third keyboardist in the band to die since the band’s debut in 1966. “There was something known as the keyboard curse and when Jerry gave me the papers to sign to become a full partner in the band, he said ‘you might actually be signing your death certificate.’ But I outlasted the band and beat the curse because Jerry went first,” said Welnick. Fans took to you quickly; it seems like once you’re in, you’re always in, when it comes to the Grateful Dead? “Yeah, that’s right, and it’s because of Jerry and because of the music. When I signed the contract it was for life plus 20 years. After I am dead they have the right to use my likeness,” said Welnick. It has been said that the music is so magical that you guys didn’t even rehearse -- you just let it happen. “There was some truth to that. However, when someone new joined like myself, we would rehearse at first and Jerry would remark how far away the guys had gotten away from the music,” said Welnick. “The great thing about this music is there are people out there who play it better than we did as a band at times. So now when I go on the road, I line up cats from all over that I have never played with before, and we walk out without rehearsing and it works. So yeah, it is pretty magical.” The Dead have an anniversary coming up. Any chance of a reunion? “Probably not. Jerry held it together, but in reality the guys really didn’t like each other,” said Welnick. “It has been 10 years since Jerry has passed and I think I have heard from one guy once. If anything is being planned, I haven’t been clued in.” Wow, that is pretty shocking about the guys not getting along; you wouldn’t have guessed it from the stage. “The relationship ended on the stage, we didn’t do things together after concerts or between tours,” said Welnick. “Like I said, it was about the music. The music was magical and it was the connection.”
ELECTRICAL JAM So, this is your first time to Northern Michigan? “Yes, I found out about this because my guitar player was cruising the web and saw this festival and called me about it,” said Welnick. “I said if Jack Casady and Jorma Kaukonen are playing Empire, Michigan, then we want to play there as well.” So you are a fan as well. Are they fans of yours? “Hell yes I am a fan,” said Welnick. “As for them liking me, well I remember in the early 1970s they came to a few Tubes concerts and walked out. But I know them and they are going to do an acoustic show which is cool, but I am bringing a full band, so we will coax them up for an electrical jam with us.”
The Dunegrass Festival spans two days- Friday, August 5 and Saturday, August 6 - with music starting at 11 a.m. both days. Other performers include Chris Smither, Mr. Blotto, Leadfoot, Two High String Band, Rootstand, The New Third Coast, Claudia Schmidt, Potato Moon, Neptune Quartet, Cabin Fever, and K. Jones and the Benzie Playboyz. Camping is available and food concessions will be on the grounds. For additional information, on the festival and for links to all the bands websites, visit www.leelanau.com/dunegrass or to buy tickets, visit jambasetickets.com. For additional information call Grassroots Productions at 231.882.9502.
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