Legendary rock band, Jefferson Starship, coming to Walker in September

Jefferson Starship, the legendary rock band from the 1970s and 80s, is making their way to Walker in September.

Jefferson Starship is one of the most successful arena rock groups of the 70s and 80s, earning 3 platinum and 8 gold records, as well as numerous Top 40 singles. The band continues to tour today with numerous lineup and personnel changes and it’s all for the love of music.

The legend of Jefferson Starship began in 1970, when Paul Kantner released an album titled “Blows against the Empire” under the artist name Paul Kantner/Jefferson Starship. Jefferson Starship first toured together as a group in 1974 and included John Barbata, Craig Chaquico, Papa John Creach, David Freiberg, Paul Kantner, Peter Kaukonen, and Grace Slick.

Their album, “Dragon Fly” was certified gold in 1975. Kaukonen departed the lineup after the initial tour and Pete Sears was welcomed on bass. Shortly after, Marty Balin joined the Jefferson Starship. Balin had co-founded Jefferson Airplane with Paul Kantner.

New group returned to the studio to record “Red Octupus,” which reached #1, selling over two million copies. The band continued to evolve with other people, Marty Balin and Grace Slick left by choice, but Jefferson Starship kept producing records.

In 1985, the band was retired and remaining members morphed into “Starship” until 1992, when Kantner revived Jefferson Starship.

The band will be rocking the stage at Northern Lights Casino on Sept. 7, 2024 playing a collection of their classic hits, accompanied with new gritty, raw sounds.

As part of the Live on Cloud 9 tour, Jefferson Starship will perform with southern rock group, The Marshall Tucker Band. The two will jam out, creating for a night of iconic throwbacks and new tracks.

While the band’s lineup has changed over the years, the current members, including co-founder David Freiberg, serve as a true testament to the timelessness and heart of the group. As the band journeys into its 50th anniversary, Jefferson Starship continues to blend past and current sounds, heard in new tracks like “It’s About Time,” co-written by legendary Grace Slick and current leading-lady, Cathy Richardson.

Cathy Richardson wanted to be in music all her life. She saw Jefferson Starship for the first time when she was 14 years old and by the time she turned 25 she was working professionally as a singer/songwriter. She moved to Chicago to be in her own band where they put out records.

In Chicago, she was asked to be a part of a Janice Joplin production, which she didn’t think she would get because she wasn’t like Joplin, she was a rockstar. But when she received the role, it changed her life and she moved to New York and then San Francisco. When the production unexpectedly stopped, she went with the band Big Brother & The Holding Company who at the time was playing with Jefferson Starship. Richardson met everyone and soon after, she was asked to join Jefferson Starship.

“Never in her wildest dreams,” did Richardson believe she would end up in Jefferson Starship. She knew she wanted to be a rockstar but didn’t imagine it would happen by joining an already existing band.

Richardson said Jefferson Starship is a family. They are all great friends and she is so happy with the band– “it’s everything I’d ever imagined or wanted being in a band to be like,” she said. And while the personnel has changed, Richardson said now in their group of 5, no one is going anywhere.

Richard said they are always on tour, that they never really stop, “if we’re not out for weeks at a time, we’re playing every weekend” They have a European tour planned in the fall with Deep Purple.

This is the 50th anniversary this year. The original producers and Kantner wanted Jefferson Starship to keep going forever, just keep going. “We are our own group, we’re different people, but we put everything we have into the music because we love it so much,” Richardson said.

Jefferson Starship released an album in 2020 during the pandemic and decided to go through with it. That year they did a lot of events and press online and over Zoom. Richardson said that music is such a powerful, magical force, “It’s hard to explain but it physically moves you… its frequencies actually move the air, especially at a live concert. It can affect your brain in a way that takes you right back to a memory,” she said.

In their 2020 album they included a posthumous song by Marty Balin and original singer Grace Slick co-wrote a song with the group as well. David Frieberg who is still a part of the band recently turned 86 years old and told Richardson that they need to keep rocking, “Keep playing, it’s keeping me alive.”

Always excited to go anywhere, especially new places, Richardson said she loves Minnesota, she joked especially before it gets too cold. The band will be rocking the stage at the Northern Lights Casino on September 7, 2024. You can find more information and ticket information here: https://www.jeffersonstarship.com/tour