Jorma Kaukonen always dreamt of becoming a famous musician. He had no idea his plans would be actualized as a Jefferson Airplane band member, not a solo artist.
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Nearly six decades removed from the release of the sophomore album that made the band famous, Kaukonen reflected on the early days of Jefferson Airplane.
The Grammy award-winning guitarist, 85, tells PEOPLE that he first crossed paths with one of the original members at school, and they became fast friends.
"Paul Kanter had moved to San Francisco, right around the time I was graduating from the University of Santa Clara. And he met Marty Balin, the two guys are the founders of the Jefferson Airplane," he shares. "They started this band and asked me if I wanted to join."
Kaukonen initially planned to move to Denmark upon graduating from college. Despite receiving his bachelor's degree in sociology, he aspired to be an American blues musician.
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductee said, "For better or worse, I think I got distracted. I went to San Francisco and got snookered into playing in the band that would ultimately be called Jefferson Airplane."
Jefferson Airplane Took Off in a Hurry
Like most bands, Jefferson Airplane started with humble beginnings.
Kaukonen recalls one of the band's earliest gigs, when they were slated to be the house band at a club called The Matrix.
"I don't think my dreams expanded much larger than something like that," Kaukonen admits. "San Jose was a small one back in those days. I was teaching in a music store. I really had a comfortable life, and I really didn't think about being 'a star' at any level."
Despite being content with local gigs, Kaukonen and the band took off in a hurry.
"When good things happen to you when you're young, it's like, 'I really deserve this.' It's not like we worked for years and finally achieved success," Kaukonen continued. "The band got together in August of 1965, and we had a record deal with a major label in our city before the year was out. How many people does that happen to?"
The band's debut album, Jefferson Airplane Takes Off, was a solid entry into the rock world. However, to Kaukonen, their follow-up album Surrealistic Pillow was a "major breakout for us on more levels than I can count."
The Library of Congress later recognized the album as "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant."
Nearly six decades removed from its release, Surrealistic Pillow is still widely held in high regard.
One of the things that gratifies Kaukonen is that "this many years later, it's a respected work of art."
"I don't think I would've called it that when I was a kid, when we recorded. But to me, it's a bona fide work of art. To have earned the respect that it has is an honor on more levels than I can really express," Kaukonen told PEOPLE.
