Jefferson Starship is an American rock band from San Francisco, California that developed in January 1974 as a successor to Jefferson Airplane.
History The group initially featured the five remaining members of Jefferson Airplane, Grace Slick (vocals, piano), Paul Kantner (rhythm guitar, vocals), David Freiberg (bass, keyboards, vocals), Papa John Creach (violin), and John Barbata (drums, vocals); in addition to new members Craig Chaquico on lead guitar and Peter Kaukonen (brother of Jorma Kaukonen) on bass. The name "Jefferson Starship" was originally used on the co-billing of the 1970 Paul Kantner album, Blows Against the Empire, and was selected as the name for the revised band. After the band's first tour, Kaukonen was replaced by Pete Sears (bass, keyboards) in June 1974. Former Airplane vocalist Marty Balin joined the band in January 1975, having co-written and performed on the song "Caroline". Creach left in August 1975 to start a solo career. The band's lineup remained stable until June 1978, when Slick left the band after being asked to resign by Kantner, following a show in Germany in which she drank excessively and abused the crowd. Balin also departed the band after the end of the touring cycle for Earth. Additionally, Barbata dropped out after he was seriously injured in a car accident which left him unable to perform.
The remaining members of Jefferson Starship rebuilt the band in early 1979, adding drummer Aynsley Dunbar in January and vocalist Mickey Thomas in April. Slick returned to the band in 1981, after performing guest backing vocals on Modern Times. Dunbar was asked by Kantner to leave in 1982, with Donny Baldwin taking his place in September. Shortly after the band released Nuclear Furniture, Kantner left Jefferson Starship and later sued the remaining members of the band in October 1984 over ownership of the name; the lawsuit was settled in March 1985, with the name Jefferson Starship retired and the remaining band members continuing as simply Starship.
In January 1992, Kantner reformed Jefferson Starship with former KBC Band bandmates Mark "Slick" Aguilar (lead guitar) and Tim Gorman (keyboards, vocals), former Jefferson Airplane bandmate Jack Casady (bass) and Jefferson Starship bandmate Creach, and new members Darby Gould (vocals) and Prairie Prince (drums). Diana Mangano joined the following October and initially shared vocal duties, before becoming an official member of the band when Gould departed in 1995. Balin also rejoined the band in 1993. Creach died on February 22, 1994. Kaukonen returned briefly in 1994, and Gorman left around the same time; he was replaced first by Barry Flast, then by Gary Cambra, and finally by Terry "T" Lavitz. Chris Smith took over on keyboards in 1998. Casady left in 2000 and was replaced until 2004 by Tom Lilly.
Jefferson Starship returned with new studio album Jefferson's Tree of Liberty in 2008, which was the first by the band to feature vocalist Cathy Richardson, who had recently replaced Mangano, and the first since 1984's Nuclear Furniture to feature returning frontman Freiberg, who replaced Balin. Baldwin returned to the band after the album's release, replacing the departing Prince. In September 2012, Jude Gold took over from Aguilar who was forced to cease activity with the band after being diagnosed with hepatitis C. Richardson briefly left in November 2015, with Rachel Rose taking her place, before returning in March the following year. On January 28, 2016, Kantner, the only constant member of Jefferson Airplane and Jefferson Starship, died of multiple organ failure and septic shock following a heart attack a few days earlier. Since 2016, the lineup consists of Freiberg (vocals and acoustic guitar), Donny Baldwin (drums and backing vocals), Chris Smith (keyboards and bass), Cathy Richardson (vocals and rhythm guitar), and Jude Gold (lead guitar and backing vocals).
Members Current ImageNameYears activeInstrumentsRelease contributionsDavid FreibergDonny BaldwinChris Smith1998–presentCathy RichardsonJude Gold2012–presentMother of the Sun (2020)
Former ImageNameYears activeInstrumentsRelease contributionsPaul Kantnerall Jefferson Starship releases through Jefferson's Tree of Liberty (2008)Craig Chaquico1974–1984all Jefferson Starship releases from Dragon Fly (1974) to Nuclear Furniture (1984)Grace Slickall Jefferson Starship releases from Dragon Fly (1974) to Nuclear Furniture (1984), except Freedom at Point Zero (1979)John Barbata1974–1979 all Jefferson Starship releases from Dragon Fly (1974) to Earth (1978)Papa John CreachviolinPeter KaukonenbassnonePete Sears1974–1984 all Jefferson Starship releases from Dragon Fly (1974) to Nuclear Furniture (1984), guest appearance on Mother of the Sun (2020) - three tracks onlyMarty Balinall Jefferson Starship releases from Dragon Fly (1974) to Earth (1978), and from Deep Space/Virgin Sky (1995) to Jefferson's Tree of Liberty (2008)Mickey Thomas1979–1984lead and backing vocalsall Jefferson Starship releases from Freedom at Point Zero (1979) to Nuclear Furniture (1984)Aynsley Dunbar1979–1982Mark "Slick" Aguilar1992–2012all Jefferson Starship releases from Deep Space/Virgin Sky (1995) to Jefferson's Tree of Liberty (2008)Prairie Prince1992–2008 Jack Casady1992–2000bassall Jefferson Starship releases from Deep Space/Virgin Sky (1995) to Jefferson's Tree of Liberty (2008), except Across the Sea of Suns (2001)Darby Gould1992–1995 lead and backing vocalsTim Gorman1992–1994 Deep Space/Virgin Sky (1995)Diana Mangano1993–2008 lead and backing vocalsall Jefferson Starship releases from Windows of Heaven (1998) to Jefferson's Tree of Liberty (2008)Barry Flast1994–1995 noneGary Cambra1995–1996Terry "T" Lavitz1996–1998 Windows of Heaven (1998)Rachel Rose2015–2016 lead and backing vocalsnone
Touring ImageNameYears activeInstrumentsDetailsSteve Schuster1978–1980saxophoneSchuster was a regular member of the Jefferson Starship touring lineup between 1978 and 1980.David Farey1978horn instrumentsFarey toured alongside Schuster with Jefferson Starship after the release of Earth in 1978.Signe Toly Anderson1993–1994 backing and lead vocalsAnderson, a former member of Jefferson Airplane, made occasional guest appearances in the 1990s.Trey SabatelliSabatelli occasionally substituted for and performed alongside regular drummer Prairie Prince.Bobby Vega1998–2000bassVega and Huff each spent spells substituting for Jack Casady between 1998 and his 2000 departure.Chico HuffTom LillyAfter Casady's departure, Lilly regularly appeared on live bass at Jefferson Starship concerts.John FerenzikFerenzik occasionally performed keyboards, as well as lead guitar and bass alongside regular member Chris Smith.Michael EisensteinEisenstein substituted for Paul Kantner regularly between 2002 and 2012, when he was unable to perform.Prof. Louie2003keyboardsProf. Louie, Falzarano, Kearney and Alexander Kantner made occasional substitute and guest appearances.Mike Falzaranorhythm guitarKerry KearneyAlexander KantnerChina Wing Kantner1992–presentbacking vocals and occasional tambourineKantner has made occasional guest appearances.Linda Imperial2005–2007backing vocalsImperial, Traylor and Morley each performed with Jefferson Starship at select shows during the 2000s.Jack Traylor2005Tony Morley2006–2016drumsAnne Harris2008–2016violinHarris has made regular live appearances with Jefferson Starship on violin since 2008. Source:
Timeline
Lineups PeriodMembersReleasesJanuary – June 1974Grace Slick – vocals, piano Paul Kantner – rhythm guitar, vocals David Freiberg – keyboards, bass, vocals Craig Chaquico – lead guitar, backing vocals Peter Kaukonen – bass John Barbata – drums, backing vocals Papa John Creach – violin, vocalsnone June 1974 – January 1975Grace Slick – vocals, piano Paul Kantner – rhythm guitar, vocals David Freiberg – keyboards, bass, vocals Craig Chaquico – lead guitar, backing vocals Pete Sears – bass, keyboards, backing vocals John Barbata – drums, backing vocals Papa John Creach – violin, backing vocalsDragon Fly (1974)January – August 1975Marty Balin – vocals Grace Slick – vocals, piano Paul Kantner – rhythm guitar, vocals David Freiberg – keyboards, bass, vocals Craig Chaquico – lead guitar, backing vocals Pete Sears – bass, keyboards, backing vocals John Barbata – drums, backing vocals Papa John Creach – violin, backing vocalsRed Octopus (1975)August 1975 – June 1978Marty Balin – vocals Grace Slick – vocals, piano Paul Kantner – rhythm guitar, vocals David Freiberg – keyboards, bass, vocals Craig Chaquico – lead guitar, backing vocals Pete Sears – bass, keyboards, backing vocals John Barbata – drums, backing vocalsSpitfire (1976) Earth (1978)June – October 1978Marty Balin – vocals Paul Kantner – rhythm guitar, vocals David Freiberg – keyboards, bass, vocals Craig Chaquico – lead guitar, backing vocals Pete Sears – bass, keyboards, backing vocals John Barbata – drums, backing vocalsnone October 1978 - January 1979Paul Kantner – rhythm guitar, vocals David Freiberg – keyboards, bass, vocals Craig Chaquico – lead guitar, backing vocals Pete Sears – bass, keyboards, backing vocals John Barbata – drums, backing vocalsnone January – April 1979Paul Kantner – rhythm guitar, vocals David Freiberg – keyboards, bass, vocals Craig Chaquico – lead guitar, backing vocals Pete Sears – bass, keyboards, backing vocals Aynsley Dunbar – drums, percussionnone April 1979 – early 1981Mickey Thomas – vocals Paul Kantner – rhythm guitar, vocals David Freiberg – keyboards, bass, vocals Craig Chaquico – lead guitar, backing vocals Pete Sears – bass, keyboards, backing vocals Aynsley Dunbar – drums, percussionFreedom at Point Zero (1979) Modern Times (1981) Early 1981 – September 1982Mickey Thomas – vocals Grace Slick – vocals, piano Paul Kantner – rhythm guitar, vocals David Freiberg – keyboards, bass, vocals Craig Chaquico – lead guitar, backing vocals Pete Sears – bass, keyboards, backing vocals Aynsley Dunbar – drums, percussionModern Times (1981) Winds of Change (1982)September 1982 – June 1984Mickey Thomas – vocals Grace Slick – vocals, piano Paul Kantner – rhythm guitar, vocals David Freiberg – keyboards, bass, vocals Craig Chaquico – lead guitar, backing vocals Pete Sears – bass, keyboards, backing vocals Donny Baldwin – drums, backing vocalsNuclear Furniture (1984)Band inactive June 1984 – January 1992January 1992 – 1993Darby Gould – vocals Paul Kantner – rhythm guitar, vocals Slick Aguilar – lead guitar, backing vocals Jack Casady – bass, guitar Tim Gorman – keyboards, backing vocals Prairie Prince – drums, percussion Papa John Creach – violin, backing vocalsnone 1993 – February 1994Marty Balin – vocals, acoustic guitar Darby Gould – vocals Paul Kantner – rhythm guitar, vocals Slick Aguilar – lead guitar, backing vocals Jack Casady – bass, guitar Tim Gorman – keyboards, backing vocals Prairie Prince – drums, percussion Papa John Creach – violin, backing vocalsFebruary 1994 – mid-1995Marty Balin – vocals, acoustic guitar Darby Gould – vocals Paul Kantner – rhythm guitar, vocals Slick Aguilar – lead guitar, backing vocals Jack Casady – bass, guitar Tim Gorman – keyboards, backing vocals Prairie Prince – drums, percussionDeep Space/Virgin Sky (1995)1995Marty Balin – vocals, acoustic guitar Diana Mangano – vocals Paul Kantner – rhythm guitar, vocals Slick Aguilar – lead guitar, backing vocals Jack Casady – bass, guitar Barry Flast – keyboards, synthesizers Prairie Prince – drums, percussionnone 1995–1996Marty Balin – vocals, acoustic guitar Diana Mangano – vocals Paul Kantner – rhythm guitar, vocals Slick Aguilar – lead guitar, backing vocals Jack Casady – bass, guitar Gary Cambra – keyboards, synthesizers Prairie Prince – drums, percussion1996–1998Marty Balin – vocals, acoustic guitar Diana Mangano – vocals Paul Kantner – rhythm guitar, vocals Slick Aguilar – lead guitar, backing vocals Jack Casady – bass, guitar T Lavitz – keyboards, synthesizers