Jefferson Starship concert to benefit area veterans

By: JoAnn R. Walter

NICHOLS — One of the most successful bands of the classic rock era, Jefferson Starship, will take the Tioga Downs stage on Aug. 20 at 8 p.m. Their current Runaway Again Tour is an extension to their 50th anniversary tour that was launched last year. The Jefferson Starship concert ticket sales will benefit the Southern Tier Veterans Support Group (STVSG), and is hosted by Tioga Downs Casino Resort located at 2384 W. River Rd. in Nichols, N.Y.

Tickets are $20, and are on sale through Ticketmaster, or at the Tioga Downs Gift Shop. All proceeds from ticket sales, along with matched donations from Tioga Downs owner, Jeff Gural and his wife, Paula, will benefit the STVSG.

Jim Weed, Director of Marketing at Tioga Downs, commented, “We are excited to have rock icons, Jefferson Starship, for our benefit concert for the Southern Tier Veterans Support Group. We are happy to support such a great cause year after year, and it’s wonderful to see the people of the Southern Tier respond and give the support our veterans deserve,” and added, “It will be a great night for sure, and we are all looking forward to it.”

The STVSG is celebrating 15 years of service this year. Today, the STVSG works with more than seventy affiliated organizations to provide a network of resources and a broad range of services and financial assistance. The non-profit serves veterans, service members and their families, and encompasses fourteen counties across the Southern Tier of New York and the Northern Tier of Pennsylvania.

Tioga Downs and Jeff Gural have been involved with supporting the STVSG since 2011. The donations allow the STVSG to service hundreds of veterans, and oftentimes under life-changing circumstances. Jefferson Starship is slated to perform a catalog of their classic hits as well as new material, and a blend of past and present sounds. Starship fans will remember iconic hits such as “Jane,” “Miracles,” “Runaway,” and “Find Your Way Back,” and newer tracks such as “It’s About Time,” co- written by Grace Slick and current leading lady, Cathy Richardson.

Get ready for some all-time classics like Jefferson Airplane’s “White Rabbit,” and considered one of rock history’s most indelible songs. Jefferson Starship’s five members describe themselves as a family, and that comes across during their robust live performances.

Co-founder and singer/guitarist, David Freiberg, and who co-wrote one of the band’s biggest hits, “Jane,” serves as a testament to the timelessness and heart of the group. Freiberg was with the band during their transition from Airplane to Starship, and reunited with the group in 2005. Freiberg, now 87, still loves touring, and according to the band’s web site, owns an ageless voice.

The band also features drummer Donny Baldwin (and whose Jefferson Starship roots go back to 1982), keyboardist Chris Smith (who joined in 1998), guitarist Jude Gold (who joined in 2012), and singer and guitarist, Cathy Richardson (who joined in 2008).

Paul Kantner, who formed Jefferson Starship in the 1970’s, and who was a co-founder of Jefferson Airplane, often said to his band mates, “Onward,” and had a distinct passion for exploring mesmerizing music. Kantner passed away in 2016, and his spirit and legacy remains today with Jefferson Starship.

For information about the band, visit https://www.jeffersonstarship.com For more information about Tioga Downs, visit www.tiogadowns.com.