In 1964 or '65 I started taking lessons at a San Jose California music store, $3 for a 30 minute session they had promised. (I had the worst guitar ever made, the action was about one inch high.) The first session lasted about 3 minutes.
The instructor showed me a picture of three chords, handed me a mimeograph of a song and sent me on my way. My dad was thoroughly pissed and stormed into the store and demanded his 3 bucks back, totally out of character for him, but when you messed with my dad's money you messed where he lived.
Since every kid I knew was learning guitar at the time, finding another teacher proved difficult. Finally my mom located a college guy named Fenton Anderson who agreed to come around every Thursday to show me a chord or two. (I did not have a lot of lessons since we moved to Colorado in '66)
Fenton in Vietnam, 1968
I recall Fenton had a bumper sticker on his car that read, "Jefferson Airplane". I asked him about it and he said it was a new band down at "the college". I did not know at the time but Fenton was taking his lessons from none other than Jorma Kaukonen, Jefferson Airplane's lead guitarist.
Jorma Kaukonen, back in those daysI have 13 song a recording Fenton made of Jorma back then. Jorma told me it was probably 1962. It is Jorma (they called him "Jerry" then) playing live. If you want a copy send me an email.
It is not a bootleg Jorma Kaukonen CD. Jorma knows I have it and even has one I gave him
Do you want to learn to fingerpick like Jorma and me? Then by all means click on this
"Jorma's fingerstyle revealed"