The band that delivered such pop anthems as “We Built This City,” “Sara” and “Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now” in the 1980s will be in concert Friday, May 29, in Chattanooga.
Starship featuring Mickey Thomas will appear in the spring benefit show for firefighter labor unions in Chattanooga and Cleveland, Tenn. Nashville-based blues rockers Cumberland Blue will open the show at Memorial Auditorium.
For casual fans of Starship, a brief history might be in order. The band is a successor of Jefferson Starship, which succeeded Jefferson Airplane.
Jefferson Airplane, formed in 1965, was a pioneer of counterculture-era psychedelic rock. Two hits from the band’s 1967 album “Surrealistic Pillow” – “Somebody To Love” and “White Rabbit” – are listed in Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
Jefferson Starship, formed in the early 1970s by several members of Jefferson Airplane, is remembered for such singles as “Miracles,” “Count on Me” and “No Way Out.” It has undergone several major changes in personnel and genres through the years while retaining the Jefferson Starship name. Led by co-founder Paul Kanter, the band is still active but focuses on psychedelic and electric folk music rather than the pop-driven tunes it was known for in the early to mid-’80s.
Starship, established in 1984-85, was a continuation of Jefferson Starship, but the change in musical direction and personnel motivated the new identity. Conflict in the band and dwindling commercial success led to the group disbanding in 1990. Thomas revived Starship in 1992, and it has been touring steadily since.
But he’s not the only one with tenure in Starship. Drummer Darrell Verdusco and keyboardist Phil Bennett have been with the band since 1996.
Stephanie Calvert now handles co-lead vocal duties with Thomas, a position once filled by rock icon Grace Slick.
Beyond Starship, Thomas may be best known as lead singer on the 1976 Elvin Bishop Group hit “Fooled Around and Fell in Love.”
Ticket purchases support the fundraising efforts of the Chattanooga and Cleveland professional firefighters associations. Proceeds may be designated in support of the Chattanooga Firefighters Local 820 or the Cleveland Firefighters Local 3748.