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Jack Casady
Jack Casady
Jack Casady, bass player from Hot Tuna, Jefferson Airplane, SVT, the Yanks and Jefferson Starship joins Lawrence Peryer to talk shop about …
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April 13, 2021

Jack Casady

Jack Casady

Jack Casady, bass player from Hot Tuna, Jefferson Airplane, SVT, the Yanks and Jefferson Starship joins Lawrence Peryer to talk shop about the bass and his influences. And it's his 77th bday today. Happy bday Jack!

John William "Jack" Casady (born April 13, 1944) is an American bass guitarist, best known as a member of Jefferson Airplane and Hot Tuna. Jefferson Airplane became the first successful exponent of the San Francisco Sound. Their singles, including "Somebody to Love" and "White Rabbit", had a more polished style than their other material, and successfully charted in 1967 and 1968. Casady, along with the other members of Jefferson Airplane, was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996.

In this episode, Jack talks about growing up in Washington, DC. He also talks about the jazz shows he saw as a teenager and building early amps and electronics for his bass with Owsley Stanley. 

Jack and Jorma are hitting the road post-pandemic so grab your tickets. There are acoustic Hot Tuna dates in the spring/summer and Electric Tuna dates in the fall. 

 

 


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Jack Casady Profile Photo

Jack Casady

Founding member of the Jefferson Airplane and Hot Tuna

As a Founding member of the Jefferson Airplane and Hot Tuna, Casady’s full driving tone and innovative melodic bass work has defined the role of bass guitar in Rock and Roll for decades. Liberating the bass from its traditional role as part of the rhythm section, Jack s pioneering approach has brought the instrument to the forefront. With sweeping chords and stormy melodic lines Jack’s bass distinguished not only Jefferson Airplane and Hot Tuna but also a variety of side projects and recordings with artists including Jimi Hendrix, David Crosby, Warren Zevon, Country Joe and The Fish, SVT, Rusted Root and Gov’t Mule.

“The main issue is I love to play the bass guitar,” says Jack. “The craftwork in really learning the subtleties of the instrument is a lifelong project.”

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