When I hear the name Jefferson Starship, I immediately think of Jefferson Airplane, the 60’s, Grace Slick and the songs, Somebody to Love and White Rabbit. But as many fans of classic music know, Jefferson Starship was a different type of band that was formally launched in 1974 by Slick and the infamous Paul Kantner. Although there have been many changes to Jefferson Starship through the years, I was thrilled to see the band at my latest favorite venue, The Hamilton. Some of these individuals are rock royalty after all.

Today, Jefferson Starship continues to tour with a lineup of Paul Kantner (vocals, guitar), David Freiberg (vocals, guitar), Slick Aguilar (lead guitar), Chris Smith (keyboards), Donny Baldwin (drums) and Cathy Richardson (vocals). Although they may not sound as amazing as they did during their heyday, it was a special treat to see Kantner perform, as I have always been intrigued in his life story, having performed with some of my favorite artists including Jerry Garcia, David Crosby and Graham Nash, all original members of the earliest edition of Jefferson Starship.

But, the surprise of the night was Cathy Richardson, a Grammy-nominated singer that played Janis Joplin in the off-Broadway production of Love Janis. She also toured the US in 2007 with Joplin’s original band members Big Brother and the Holding Co. on the Summer of Love 40th Anniversary Tour. This woman is extremely talented – so much that I would pay to see her perform on her own.

If you get a chance to see Jefferson Starship while they are on tour, please do. It is always fun to be reminded of a time that is long gone, but that remains a presence in the history of music.