One of the giants of rock and roll history, Paul Kantner is celebrating his 72nd birthday the same way he has spent much of his life: on stage, performing the music of the group he helped found, Jefferson Airplane, and its successor, Jefferson Starship. So what if was longtime collaborator — collaborator underlined — Grace Slick who contended that rockers should have mandatory retirements after 50?
Kantner didn’t say any such thing. In fact, he has said he’ll probably die on stage. And the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer has continued to tour and record, including the 2008 release Jefferson’s Tree of Liberty, a collection of influential folk and protest songs.
Kantner’s musical shadow is long. The guitarist was a leading figure on the 60s San Francisco psychedelic music scene, performed at Woodstock, Altamont, and Monterey Pop, collaborated with all of the greats, and recorded enduring pop music, bridging the gap between folk, rock and jams.
Kantner will bring Jefferson Starship down for its third visit to the Van Dyck in Schenectady for a pair of sets on Saturday, March 23.
