I'm just got back from a fantastic guitar workshop with Jefferson Airplane and Hot Tuna founder Jorma Kaukonen. Jorma and his wife Vanessa own and operate Fur Peace Ranch, 120 acres in the foothills of the Appalachians offering music workshops from March through November.

I arrived a day early so I took in the sights of nearby Athens, Ohio. Including the former Athens Insane Asylum now an art museum and part of the University of Ohio campus.

The next day I drove the twenty minutes south to the ranch. Fur Peace is music camp like no other, completely remote, featuring gourmet food, small class sizes and world class instructors. My workshop with Jorma consisted of twelve folks, all good pickers to begin with. Jorma ran us through five of his signature tunes in three days.

Here's the Captain himself stringing his guitar with fellow student Debbi Pace.

Saturday night we were treated to a concert by Hot Tuna in there acoustic incarnation: Jorma on guitar and vocals, former Jefferson Airplane band mate Jack Casady on bass, and mandolin savant Barry Mitterhoff. Barry and Jack were also instructors for the weekend. Fur Peace's concert hall holds about 200 people so there isn't a bad seat in the house.

I can't say enough about the vibe of Fur Peace. You walk away with a feeling that you had just met 40 long lost friends. The workshops are outstanding. The food is amazing. The setting is sublime. Those of you who play owe it to yourself to spend a weekend there.