fur peace ranch

Hot chocolate in the fall and the best musicians east of the Mississippi. Great atmosphere. Well worth the money. We are so lucky to live near this gold mine.

The Ranch is a residential guitar teaching camp with industry leading teachers. This place is wonderful. I doubt that there is any other place quite like it. Jorma and Vanessa Kaukonen with the help of visiting teachers do a fantastic job of making all welcome and exposing then to the very best instruction. If there are those who don't recognize the name Jorma go back and re-listen to The Jefferson Airplane and Hot Tuna. Jorma is the wonderfully talented lead guitarist for both groups. He is truly one of the very best American guitarist. If you register for a stay at the FPR consider yourself lucky. Check the Ranch's web site to see the schedule as the teaching staff changes week by week.

I have been to FPR as many call it 23 times. I have taken classes from world-reknown musicians such as Jorma Kaukonen, Pete Hutlinger, GE Smith and more. The setting is magnificent, the overall attitude of the staff is beyond measure, and the instructions are good for a lifetime. If you are a guitarist wishing to "up your game" while being among some of the best of the best and not feeling pressure, FPR is the place for you. Their web site offers a menu of classes available. Small cabin setting, great performance hall, gourmet food, and so much more. Classes span Friday through Monday so be prepared to play ... a lot!

The Fur Peace Ranch is a hippyish retreat/high priced musician camp/concert venue. Thankfully, we had a GPS to find our way in and out. Tickets to events here are hard to get, because most of the seats are presold to subscription-holders, which I thought was surprisingly elitist, given the otherwise communal vibe. There is a newsletter, a gift shop, a small gallery of artifacts belonging to Jorma Kaukonen, of Jefferson Airplane, Hot Tuna, and etc. Close communities include Pomeroy and Athens, Ohio. The concert venue is very rustic looking, but extremely small and intimate, with fine acoustics. I have attended parties in garages this size. Apparently, general admission holders should arrive early and find a seat that is not already labeled, and put your name on it. I would try not to sit in the back, where we ended up, because children and others wander in and out with assorted chatter and door-opening and closing sounds while audience members try to focus on world-class musicians performing on the stage. There is a booth that sells interesting foods and drinks at quite reasonable prices, but NO alcohol NO drugs anywhere around here. It isn't that kind of a place.