Jefferson Airplane’s first singer, co-founder die same day

Signe Toly Anderson, Paul Kantner were both 74

Signe Toly Anderson, Jefferson Airplane’s original female vocalist who sang on the band’s 1966 debut LP, Jefferson Airplane Takes Off, passed away on January 28. Anderson’s death came the same day as Paul Kantner, her former band mate and co-founder of the music group, who died from a multiple organ failure and septic shock. Both singers were aged 74, reported Rolling Stone.

No cause of Anderson’s death was provided but according to Psychedelic Sight, Anderson had suffered health issues in recent years, while her former band mate Jack Casady said she recently entered a hospital facility.

“I was just informed of the passing of Signe Anderson, the same day as we lost Paul. Signe was our, Jefferson Airplane’s, first female singer. I had been in touch with Signe this past week as she had moved from her home to hospital care. She was a real sweetheart with a terrific contralto voice coming from a solid folk background. A sad day, for those of us still here,” Casady posted on Facebook, a few hours after the death of Anderson and Kantner.



Band guitarist Jorma Kaukonen shared Anderson was one of the strongest people she ever met and a voice of reason for more occasions than one. “Signe was our den mother in the early days of the Airplane and an important member of our dysfunctional little family. She will always live in my heart.”

Grieving over the loss of Kantner, Neil Porto, president and CEO of the Recording Academy, the organisation in charge of the Grammy Awards shared, “Paul was a key architect in the development of what became known as the San Francisco Sound. The music community has lost a true icon.”



Formed in San Francisco in 1965, Jefferson Airplane is best known for the hits Somebody To Love and White Rabbit. Despite several line-up changes, the band now called Jefferson Starship, is still a band today as Kantner continued to tour until his death.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 2^nd, 2016.

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