John Barbata, Jefferson Starship, CSNY and Turtles drummer, dead at 79
John Barbata, the drummer and session musician who played on projects with acclaimed acts including Jefferson Starship, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, and The Turtles, has passed away at the age of 79.
Barbata first garnered fame after immersing himself in the 1960s and ’70s Californian rock scene. The musician joined The Turtles in 1966 after being encouraged to audition by the Byrds’ Gene Clark, a suggestion that saw him start off strong by performing on the band’s popular hits such as ‘Happy Together’, ‘She’d Rather Be With Me’, and ‘You Showed Me’.
In 1969, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young enlisted Barbata to replace Dallas Taylor as their drummer. Barbata’s work can be enjoyed on the band’s live album, 4 Way Street, alongside solo albums by Neil Young and Graham Nash.
After David Crosby led the drummer to Jefferson Airplane, Barbata was recruited as their drummer and played on a couple of albums before joining their project extension, Jefferson Starship. Barbata also performed with many high-profile names like Linda Ronstadt, Johnny Rivers, the Everly Brothers, and others.
Following his death, Jefferson Starship wrote a heartfelt tribute on social media, commenting: “We are saddened to hear of the passing of the great John Barbata, Jefferson Starship’s original drummer.”
They continued, “Our thoughts go out to his family, friends and fans. Rock in peace, Johnny!”
Jefferson Airplane also shared a tribute, writing: “Known for his exceptional talent, John left his mark on the music world by playing with bands such as The Turtles, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, Jefferson Airplane, and Jefferson Starship.”
Their message continued, “Back in ’72, during a hiatus for CSN&Y, David Crosby introduced John to the Airplane, who hired him instantly. You can hear John’s drumming skills on the band’s final studio album, Long Live John Silver, as well as the live album Thirty Seconds Over Winterland.”
They added: “The New Jersey-born Barbata moved in his teenage years to southern California, where the drummer got his start in surf-rock bands in the early Sixties. The Turtles, a year removed from their hit rendition of “It Ain’t Me, Babe” in 1965, enlisted Barbata to replace their founding drummer Don Murray.”
Barbata passed away on May 8th. At this stage, no cause of death has been announced. He is survived by his daughter, Leah.