Posted on 01/31/2016 10:08:36 PM PST by djf
Signe Anderson, who fronted Jefferson Airplane on their debut, Jefferson Airplane Takes Off, died on Jan. 28 at the age of 74. Coincidentally, it was the same day that one of the band’s guitarists, Paul Kantner, passed away.
The official cause of death has not yet been disclosed, but it’s known that she’d been fighting various cancers on and off since the mid-’70s. Airplane bassist Jack Casady wrote that she was moved into hospice care last week. “She was a real sweetheart with a terrific contralto voice coming from a solid folk background,†he added. “Listen to how she made the three part harmonies of JA Takes Off (first album) sound so thick … her wonderful tone between Paul’s and Marty’s [Balin]. A sad day …..for those of us still here.â€
She was Grace before Grace was Grace...
RIP, Signe!
Loved JA thru mid 1970’s JS.
These classic rock n rollers passing away too quickly.
Died the same day as Paul Kantner, what are the odds?
I know. Seems like it means something... but there’s no way to know exactly what!
About 133,225 to one.
... and Kantner was also 74 when he passed away.
Thanks! I actually had that album in hand like 12 years ago...
I mean a real album, 12” wide, with the cover and all the rest
Wait, I screwed up. 365 to one
I am looking at my wall f some 5,000 albums and know that an original JA pressing is there under “J”.
First girl singer
Probably less than John Adams and Thomas Jefferson both dying om 4th of July of the same year, but pretty long.
Lord willing she died saved. She battled cancer multiple times.
Man were they good. In a league all their own IMO.
Props to Signe for not wanting to tour with her baby, which led to Grace who was a perfect fit and continued the magic.
365 to 1? I’m not so sure of that. There are many other days NOT of this year they could have died. That they were in the same band must have some impact on the odds. I wouldn’t begin to know how to figure it out. Might have to go back to some of those powerball threads!
I wonder if they were secretly married - and were like the old couple you hear about once in awhile where one dies, and the other dies shortly after of a “broken heart”.
74 years old? Too young. But I’m guessing the rock-and-roll life might have played some part. Or - perhaps being in JA allowed them to live ten times as much as I ever will in my lifetime. I can only imagine the wonderful experiences they must have had.
Watched a doc on them recently. It was amazing how much Grace looked like Katy Perry, although not so much focused on adolescent female empowerment.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9CVLVevm4E
There’s a high flying bird, way up in the sky now
Yes, and I wonder if she looks down as she flies on by
Well, she’s riding on the air so easy in the sky
And, Lord, look at me (yeah)
I’m rooted like a tree (Oh yeah, yes, I am now)
I’ve got the sit down, can’t cry, oh Lord, I’m gonna die blues
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