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Submitted by m3jimphoto on Thu, 04/18/2013 - 11:23pm
Jefferson AirplanePaul KantnerJefferson AirplaneJefferson Airplane

I was intrigued recently to note how “viral” Jim’s rare 1966 shot of Jack Casady, former Jefferson Airplane and Hot Tuna bassist, went after we posted it on the Jim Marshall Photography LLC Facebook page in honor of Casady’s 69th birthday on April 13. While it’s not too tough to predict that shots of Johnny Cash at Folsom or San Quentin or The Stones on their 1972 tour will gain huge amounts of “eyeballs & clicks,” sometimes there are sleeper images -- rare or never-before-seen photos -- whose popularity surprises and delights us no end. With more surprise and delight in mind, we searched Jim's archive to find other black-and-white shots of Jack Casady and the Jefferson Airplane from that same time frame to send out to the blogosphere and “tweeterverse” ... or whatever the kids are calling it these days (wink).  And we were NOT disappointed. All of the shots of the Airplane featured here were taken by Jim Marshall in 1966 (most likely in the Fall of that year since that’s when Grace Slick officially replaced the first co-lead vocalist, Signe Toly Anderson).

Slick performed with the band live at the Fillmore Auditorium in October, 1966.  It was to prove to be a huge year in the history of rock and roll and particularly the burgeoning SF music scene’s embrace of psychedelia.  If you’re curious about the pre-Slick Airplane, here’s a link to the Airplane performing "It’s No Secret" at the Filmore in early 1966.

Jefferson Airplane Lineup: October 1966–February 1970
Grace Slick - vocals, piano, organ, recorder
Marty Balin - vocals, rhythm guitar, bass guitar
Paul Kantner - rhythm guitar, vocals
Jorma Kaukonen - lead guitar, rhythm guitar, vocals
Jack Casady - bass guitar, rhythm guitar
Spencer Dryden - drums

To see more of Jim’s work on the Jefferson Airplane and/or the San Francisco music scene in the late ’60s, check out these JMPLLC blogs from the archive:
Somebody to Love
Feed Your Head
Janis + Grace + Jim
Valentine’s from the JMPLLC Archives