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 bandâs guitarists, Paul Kantner, passed away.
The official cause of death has not yet been disclosed, but itâs known that sheâd been fighting various cancers on and off since the mid-â70s. Airplane bassist Jack Casady wrote that she was moved into hospice care last week. âShe was a real sweetheart with a terrific contralto voice coming from a solid folk background,â he added. âListen to how she made the three part harmonies of JA Takes Off (first album) sound so thick ⦠her wonderful tone between Paulâs and Martyâs [Balin]. A sad day â¦..for those of us still here.â
Signe’s vocals were shockingly strong. She really got your attention when she started singing.
It is pronounced sig-nee.
She had a neat middle name too, Toly.
Her daughters are Onateska and Lilith, Onateska being the newborn she didn’t want to take on the road. Lilith was a toddler at that point.
My maternal grandmother’s sister had the same name.
I never met her, she was still in the old country (Sweden).
But my grandmother always pronounced it “sing-ne”, which I never really understood, but it sounded better.
She surely did. Sadly she didn’t remain with them for long. Grace was awesome too. This doesn’t do it justice, but if you can buy this song or album and listen carefully to this vocal power.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sHEh7nNlTTI
Is it wrong that I actually enjoyed that? lol
The first time I played that was when I got JA’s greatest hits album. I didn’t know all the details about the band at that time and I didn’t understand that they had another singer but I did notice that it sounded different than Grace. That song is the first one on that album and when I played that it was the first time I’d ever heard that song. The hair tried to stand up on the back of my neck. What a strange and chilling song. Never heard anything quite like it. Signe’s voice haunts dreams.
Her daughter had some goofy name. I didn't realize that those names started off that long ago. I think the first goofy name I ever heard was when Moonbeam Zappa was born.
lol, not at all. Some of Carey at his finest.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QC8K_jV38WU
Here’s a really good quality recording of a JA concert at the Filmore from Sept. 30, 1966 - 15 days before Signes last concert with them.
I had Surrealistic Pillow on cassette back in college (late 70’s). I’ve been on a JA kick for a few days now! Great music.
There are some radio interviews of Signe that are interesting where she talks about the band, leaving, no regrets, etc.
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