Signe Toly Anderson, Original Jefferson Airplane Singer and Portland Native, Has Died

Signe Toly Anderson, the original frontwoman for Jefferson Airplane, who cut her teeth singing in the Portland folk and jazz scene, died at her home in Beaverton on Jan. 28. She was 74 years old.

Born in Seattle and raised in Portland, Anderson moved to San Francisco in 1965 and joined the newly formed Jefferson Airplane, singing on the band's debut, Jefferson Airplane Takes Off. Her time in the band was short-lived: She exited in 1966, following two shows at the Fillmore that were widely bootlegged until being officially released in 2010.

Immediately after Anderson's departure, Grace Slick would take her place, and Jefferson Airplane would go on to become one of the defining bands of the psychedelic '60s. Anderson, meanwhile, moved back to Portland, performing with the jazz-informed Carl Smith and the Natural Gas Company. Later, she toured with Jefferson Starship, Hot Tuna and the KBC Band. In 2014, Anderson was inducted into the Oregon Music Hall of Fame.

Anderson, who battled health issues since the 1970s, had recently struggled with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Her passing coincides with that of founding Jefferson Airplane singer-guitarist Paul Kantner, who also died that day, Jan. 28, at age 74. Drummer Spencer Dryden passed away in 2005.

"One sweet Lady has passed on," Jefferson Airplane singer Marty Balin wrote on Facebook. "I imagine that she and Paul woke up in heaven and said "Hey what are you doing here? Let's start a band" and no sooner then said Spencer was there joining in!"

Willamette Week