Paul Kantner, founding member, guitarist and singer for Jefferson Airplane and Jefferson Starship, died at age 74 on Thursday of multiple organ failure and septic shock.
The guitarist and songwriter had survived close brushes with death as a younger man, including a motorcycle accident during the early 60s and a 1980 cerebral haemorrhage, and he recovered from a heart attack in March 2015.
Paul Lorin Kantner was born on March 17th, 1941 in San Francisco. His father was a traveling salesman, according to the Chronicle, and he was sent to military school after his mother's death. He found inspiration in science-fiction books and folk music, dropping out of college to pursue music.
Although he never wrote or sang lead on a hit single, Paul Kantner had the greatest impact on Jefferson Airplane & Jefferson Starship of any member. He holds the record for the longest, unbroken membership (19 years), and he has been at times the only original member of the band present. His interest in science fiction helped transform Jefferson Airplane into Jefferson Starship, and, throughout it all, he presided over the band’s loose and sometimes messy democracy. If Marty Balin was the soul of the band, and Grace Slick its public persona, then Paul Kantner could be considered its brain.
“Rest In Peace Paul Kantner... thank you for the music all these years” - The GR Team
Weblinks:
www.facebook.com/officialjeffersonstarship/
www.facebook.com/JeffersonAirplaneOfficial/
The guitarist and songwriter had survived close brushes with death as a younger man, including a motorcycle accident during the early 60s and a 1980 cerebral haemorrhage, and he recovered from a heart attack in March 2015.
Paul Lorin Kantner was born on March 17th, 1941 in San Francisco. His father was a traveling salesman, according to the Chronicle, and he was sent to military school after his mother's death. He found inspiration in science-fiction books and folk music, dropping out of college to pursue music.
Although he never wrote or sang lead on a hit single, Paul Kantner had the greatest impact on Jefferson Airplane & Jefferson Starship of any member. He holds the record for the longest, unbroken membership (19 years), and he has been at times the only original member of the band present. His interest in science fiction helped transform Jefferson Airplane into Jefferson Starship, and, throughout it all, he presided over the band’s loose and sometimes messy democracy. If Marty Balin was the soul of the band, and Grace Slick its public persona, then Paul Kantner could be considered its brain.
“Rest In Peace Paul Kantner... thank you for the music all these years” - The GR Team
Weblinks:
www.facebook.com/officialjeffersonstarship/
www.facebook.com/JeffersonAirplaneOfficial/