Rock singer and songwriter, born in Chicago, Illinois, USA. She was a fashion model before singing with the group, the Great Society (1965), and the next year joined Jefferson Airplane, the first popular San Francisco rock band. After releasing such successful albums as Surrealistic Pillow (1967) and Volunteers (1969), the Airplane disbanded. In 1974 she formed Jefferson Starship, which released the best-selling album Red Octopus (1975), as well as later albums.
| Grace Slick | ||
|---|---|---|
| Background information | ||
| Birth name | Grace Barnett Wing | |
| Born |
October 30, 1939 Evanston, Illinois, USA |
|
| Genre(s) | Psychedelic Rock | |
| Instrument(s) | Vocals | |
|
Associated acts |
Jefferson Airplane, Jefferson Starship | |
Grace Slick (born Grace Barnett Wing, October 30, 1939 in Evanston, Illinois) is an American singer and songwriter, who was the lead singer of the rock groups Jefferson Airplane, Jefferson Starship, Starship and also as a solo artist, for nearly three decades, from the mid-1960s to the mid-1990s.
Slick is considered to be one of the most important musicians in bringing the 1960s psychedelic rock to mainstream appeal.
Early life
Slick was born in Evanston, a Chicago suburb, to Ivan W.
Slick maintained a friendship with Janis Joplin that began early in her music career and lasted until Joplin's death by drug overdose on October 4, 1970.
Slick was married twice, to Gerald "Jerry" Slick, a cinematographer, and to Skip Johnson, a Jefferson Starship lighting designer.
Career
During her musical career, Slick was a member of two rock bands, The Great Society and Jefferson Airplane (and its successor bands, Jefferson Starship and Starship).
Slick was known for her provocative lyrics, but also for her alcoholism and public persona.
Slick's solo albums include Manhole, Dreams, and Welcome to the Wrecking Ball.
Alongside her close contemporary Janis Joplin, Slick was an important figure in the development of rock music in the late 1960s.
Jefferson Airplane's August 1969 performance of their song, "Volunteers" at Woodstock is, to this day, considered one of the most memorable songs of the three-day Woodstock festival.
Multiple arrests
Slick has had numerous run-ins with the law.
She was reportedly arrested in 1994 for assault with a deadly weapon, after pointing an unloaded gun at a police officer, reminiscent of the song "Law Man" on the 1971 Bark album.
Retired life
Slick left Starship in 1988 at age 48.
She has generally stayed away from music, although she did sing on one song on the soundtrack to The Crow: City of Angels.
In a 2001 USA Today article she said "I'm in good health and people want to know what I do to be this way [...] I don't eat cheese, I don't eat duck — the point is I'm vegan [...
She released her autobiography, Grace Slick: Somebody to Love?
Artistic Accomplishments
Slick's longevity in the music business helped her earn a rather unusual distinction: the oldest female vocalist on a Billboard Hot 100 number one single.
Slick did vocals for Jazzy Spies, a series of animated shorts about the numbers 1 through 10, which aired on Sesame Street.
User Comments Add a comment…