The stars of the iconic American rock and roll band Jefferson Starship will make a landing in Chandler on Thursday, February 13 for its 50th anniversary tour, Runaway Again. We caught up with founding member David Freiberg and vocalist Cathy Richardson to talk about the band’s cosmic connections to Arizona, music-making and the JS song that makes them the most starry-eyed.
David Freiberg, founding member of Jefferson Starship, keyboards, contributing vocalist & multi-instrumentalist
Morphing from the psychedelic San Francisco sound of the 1960s, the ever-evolving incarnations of Jefferson Starship have spanned 50 years and you’ve been along for the entire ride! Along with Jefferson Starship, will there be any Jefferson Airplane or Starship numbers in the lineup at your Phoenix show?
Oh yes! We always include songs from all the incarnations of Jefferson Starship. Many people get confused by all the iterations of the band and would be very disappointed if we didn’t play their wedding song, for example.
In your rock and roll tenure, what musical changes have made you smile? Made you cringe?
People having fun making music that people appreciate always makes me smile. Very little makes me cringe.
Do you have any anecdotes tying to Arizona? What has it been like playing there, any fun stories? Are any of your songs inspired by the desert?
I always enjoy playing in Arizona. As a matter of fact, last year we were playing in Tucson the Friday after Thanksgiving, which meant we all had to fly into Tucson on Thanksgiving Day. Cathy [Richardson] called a friend who invited our whole entourage over for Thanksgiving dinner on a couple of hours’ notice. Her friend had invited a whole slew of people over on the spur of the moment and we had one of the most fantastic Thanksgiving dinners ever. That’s Arizona for you!
In 1971, you were busted on charges of marijuana possession and, unfortunately, had to do a stint in jail. What do you think about it being legalized now in 24 states, including Arizona? Did the state of California expunge your record?
Haha! Actually, I was busted three times for simple possession of less than an ounce of marijuana, but I proved to be such a good citizen that all of them were expunged long before it ever became legal.
You composed the iconic organ parts for the ethereal hit, “Miracles” – one I find particularly romantic. With Valentine’s Day coming up, which do you think is Jefferson Starship’s most romantic song? And what is the story behind creating it?
Ah, “Miracles.” What song could be more romantic? Actually, “Miracles” was one of the most magic recording sessions I’ve ever experienced. We were just running the song getting the sounds for the engineer and I was just sitting there playing the organ and that little theme came off of my fingers… and somebody yelled, “Hey, can you play that again?“ and I said, “Sure.” So, there you go. Everyone was playing their best. We had a great time. Marty Balin sure could write a love song!
Cathy Richardson, lead vocalist
You became a member of Jefferson Starship in 2008. What was it like for you joining a band with such a rich history?
It’s incredible. Jefferson Starship has always been one of my favorite bands and Grace Slick is an icon that I idolized growing up. I saw them in concert several times as a kid… bought all the albums and listened to them over and over. Never did I dream of being in the band; that was beyond what I could even imagine.
Have you ever performed with any of your JS female predecessors Grace Slick, Darby Gould or Diana Mangano?
Yes, I first got onstage with the band when Diana was the singer and I’ve sung with Darby many times. I’ve never sung with Grace although she did ask me to sing in her place when Jefferson Airplane received their Lifetime Achievement Award from the GRAMMYs, and she watched from the wings.
You’re a versatile artist, you’ve done voice work for Nickelodeon’s Noggin, portrayed Janis Joplin in the original off-Broadway run of Love, Janis, write and record for your own ensemble, Cathy Richardson Band, and you’re a mother! How do you juggle it all while on the road?
Well, a lot of those things you mention happened before I was in Jefferson Starship and I was a lot younger and had more energy to do so many different things all the time. I was almost 40 by the time I joined Jefferson Starship and 42 when I became a mom. Jefferson Starship has taken priority over other musical projects, but I still get to do a few shows a year with my band around my hometown. I also have a home studio where I’m able to record when I’m not on the road. I’m fortunate that my wife is a stay-at-home mom who handles a lot of the day-to-day stuff with the kids when I’m on the road but I’m home a lot, too. I definitely try to pick up the slack when I’m home. It’s a lot of driving around to different sports and activities. It was very difficult when they were babies because they change so much so quickly but seeing the happiness on their faces when I would come back from a long trip is burned into my memory.
How is performing during a concert different than a theatrical production?
There’s not really room for improvisation in theater. Everything is timed like clockwork and you’ll get “notes” from the stage manager or director if you go off book. In the band, we’re accountable to each other if something goes off the rails musically or technically, but we play so often that it’s muscle memory at this point. We can also change up the set list from time to time to keep it fresh for ourselves and the fans. No one is saying, “Walk here, stand here, say this, do this dance.” We make it up as we go.
With Valentine’s day coming up, which do you think is Jefferson Starship’s most romantic song?
Marty Balin wrote so many beautiful love songs but of them all, I’d have to go with “Miracles.”
Jefferson Starship plays at Gila River Wild Horse Pass (5040 Wild Horse Pass Blvd., Chandler) on Thursday, February 13 at 8 p.m. For more info, visit playatgila.com. To purchase tickets, visit ticketmaster.com.
