John Barbata, the traditional rock musician who played on era- establishing data by the Turtles, Jefferson Airplane and Crosby, Stills, Nash &, Young, has died. He was 79.
Jefferson Airplane ( and its amalgam Jefferson Starship ) confirmed Barbata’s death in standard content on their social media accounts. A complete list of victims and the death’s specific time were not immediately available.
Barbata was” known for his extraordinary talent”, Jefferson Airplane , wrote in its statement , announcing his death. ” Back in ‘ 72, during a break for CSN&, Y, David Crosby introduced John to the Airplane, who hired John immediately. You can learn John’s drumming skills on the singer’s last theater album,’ Long John Silver,’ as well as the life album’ Thirty Seconds Over Winterland.'”
Barbata, born in New Jersey, moved to Southern California as a teen, playing in browse- rock bands— he was a member of the Sentinels, whose” La Tinia” was a regional radio hit in 1961 — before joining the Turtles, next riding high after their 1965 cover of” It Ain’t Me Babe”. Barbata recorded their chart-topper and defining song” Happy Together” and the follow-up smash” She’d Rather Be With Me” on their respective charts.
Barbata stayed with the team through their last three tracks, 1967’s” Happy Together”, 1968’s” The Turtles Present the Battle of the Bands” and 1969’s” Turtle Soup”. He recalled a untamed London night when he partied with Brian Jones, Paul McCartney, and the Rolling Stones, and a Turtles roadie accidentally spilled a cup of ale on Lennon.
After the Turtles broke up, Barbata joined CSNY for a work of tour dates that were documented on the live song” 4 Method Street”, where he played drums on Neil Young’s” Ohio”, written in the midst of the , Kent State school shootings.
When that group went on hiatus, Barbata performed on several of its members ‘ solo albums, including Young’s” Time Fades Away”, Graham Nash’s” Songs for Beginners” and Stephen Stills ‘ 1970 self- titled record. ( Barbata also famously played , a 45- minute drum solo , to prevent a riot when 1969’s Atlanta Pop Festival suffered a power outage. )
David Crosby recruited him to join the final Jefferson Airplane lineup, and the band later brought him into Jefferson Starship, where he played on hits like” Miracles” over four LPs: 1974’s” Dragon Fly”, 1975’s” Red Octopus”, 1976’s” Spitfire” and 1978’s” Earth”.
Along the way, he recorded and toured with Linda Ronstadt, Joni Mitchell, Leon Russell, Doctor John, the Everly Brothers and many more. Barbata, as he recounts in his memoir, declined both an opportunity to drum for Elvis Presley and a chance to join the Eagles, telling the , Phoenix New Times , that” ]David ] Geffen walked over to me and said,’ There is a new group forming, and they want you to be part of it. They are called the Eagles.’ I said,’  , Who the hell are the Eagles? I never heard of them”.
He left Jefferson Starship after a car accident in 1978 and a lengthy recovery, and he largely left the music industry. Barbata published a memoir,” The Legendary Life of a Rock Star Drummer”, in 2005. He eventually moved to southern Oklahoma, where he spent his last years.
” It was a wild ride, and one that I’m glad I had the opportunity to experience”, Barbata told , the Oklahoman in 2005. ” It was an experience, and one that allowed me to make a lot of money doing what I love to do: make music and perform. I eventually met the woman of my dreams after meeting many great people, learning many difficult lessons, and meeting many great people.
What else could a New Jersey resident ask for?
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