Sunday, 09/02/07

Mohawk enjoys another summer of love, music

By BEVERLY KEEL

Nashville's Essra Mohawk was in the 1967 Summer of Love, so it's only natural that she was asked to open today's Summer of Love 40th Anniversary concert in San Francisco's Golden Gate State Park.

Essra, 59, was the opening act for the Grateful Dead during its New York City debut, and she also opened for Jimi Hendrix and Cream that summer. In 1967, she became the first woman to join Frank Zappa 's band, the Mothers of Invention .

Later, she was one of the original Schoolhouse Rock vocalists and sang background in the Jerry Garcia Band . Essra has released several albums and had her songs recorded by Tina Turner ,Cyndi Lauper ("Change of Heart") and Lorrie Morgan .

Today she'll perform the songs "Summer of Love" and "It May Take Forever,"

which is about world peace.

During the 1960s she was too young to realize that she was living musical history.

"The flavor and time of the '60s and early '70s faded in most people's lifestyles," she says. "But I held onto it and didn't let it go because it far surpassed anything that came after it, and I refuse to trade in something great for something less.

"It was a time of real freedom of expression and kindness and less mean-spiritedness. That's what makes it different from now.

"I pray and I play and I make music and say things to encourage and bring back that kind of life because it's healthier for people and it was such a happier time. I know it was a time of unrest, but I was a kid and didn't know about that stuff. I only saw what was going on around me, and that was beautiful."