Slick Aguilar has been the lead guitarist in Jefferson Starship since 1992 and is only the 3rd person to hold that position in the 40 year history of both Jefferson Airplane and Jefferson Starship. This year marks 28 years Slick has played with Paul Kantner, Marty Balin, and Company since he started with KBC Band in 1984. Before that, he was lead guitarist with David Crosby and before that, KC & the Sunshine Band. His melodic and tasteful guitar playing has soared the music of Jefferson Airplane & Jefferson Starship longer than the Airplane’s legendary Jorma Kaukonen and Starship’s Craig Chaquico combined.
Slick was recently diagnosed with Hepatitis C. Due to complications of this disease, his liver is not functioning properly. Doctors have given him a 50/50 chance of survival in the next two years if he does not receive a liver transplant.
News of this nature has forced Slick to step back from doing what he loves which is playing music, and put his effort, attention and ambition towards surviving. “I have been in this business for 35 years. I am now unable to tour with Jefferson Starship. I had been hospitalized for ten days while they were on tour. If I had gone on tour with them, it probably would have killed me. The doctors have me on several different meds and what that is basically doing is keeping me alive until I can get a liver transplant. I have spent a lot of time planning and being evaluated so when a liver becomes available I will be ready.”
Time is of significant importance for Slick, his family and friends. “It’s going to be a pretty heavy duty operation and the recovery could take 9 months to a year- plus someone has to be with me 24/7,” he said.
In continuing to speak openly, Slick shares his thoughts for seeking help in the form of donations so this will be possible. “I do have insurance but it will not be enough to cover all of the expenses. I am a working musician and right now because of my health, I’m not working at all. Being
a musician is a great job and I love what I do but not all of us are paid like Paul McCartney. It’s a decent living but not enough to cover something as big as a liver transplant. Donations in any amount are going to be helpful. I’ve never had to do anything like this before but with the way the situation is I have no other source of income.”
It should also be noted that Slick is not paid any type of royalties or anything of that nature from bands or individual artists he may play with. He receives straight pay at a flat rate for doing a gig and that is how he earns his pay. As if facing one's own mortality, suffering from a debilitating illness and losing the job you love was not overwhelming enough, Slick is now faces a monumental amount of medical and day to day living expenses, with no source of income. He may even have to relocate to another state to receive the transplant.
Slick spends every couple of days talking to David Crosby. David had a liver transplant several years ago and provides friendship and support. “He’s my coach because he knows what I am going through,” said Slick.
David Crosby and some of Slick's other famous friends jumped onboard to perform a benefit concert at the Great American Music Hall in San Francisco on February 24, 2013. 100% of the proceeds from the ticket sales and merchandise will go directly towards Slick's ongoing medical and day to day living expenses. Besides David Crosby, Jefferson Airplane/Starship singer Marty Balin, Country Joe McDonald and Big Brother and the Holding Co. are all scheduled to play. Many special surprise guests are expected to pop in throughout the evening as well. One imagines it will be a Who's Who of the San Francisco music scene.
Other fundraising efforts associated with Slick's 2/24 benefit show are also in the works. Hofner Guitars has generously donated a HA-GA04 acoustic guitar which will be autographed by the stars of the benefit and raffled after the show. Raffle tickets will be sold for $20 each or 6 for $100. Fans and friends who cannot attend the benefit are encouraged to participate by buying raffle tickets online. You can buy tickets HERE.
A second guitar, a Fender Squire Bullet has been donated by the San Francisco Guitar Center store. It will also be autographed by the stars of Slick's benefit and auctioned online to the highest bidder. Check back for more information on this auction.
There are lots of other cool things you can get for donating to Slick's cause. Click here to check out the list of swag and donate.
(Portions of this article were written by Helen Marketti for North Coast Voice Newspaper.)
Slick was recently diagnosed with Hepatitis C. Due to complications of this disease, his liver is not functioning properly. Doctors have given him a 50/50 chance of survival in the next two years if he does not receive a liver transplant.
News of this nature has forced Slick to step back from doing what he loves which is playing music, and put his effort, attention and ambition towards surviving. “I have been in this business for 35 years. I am now unable to tour with Jefferson Starship. I had been hospitalized for ten days while they were on tour. If I had gone on tour with them, it probably would have killed me. The doctors have me on several different meds and what that is basically doing is keeping me alive until I can get a liver transplant. I have spent a lot of time planning and being evaluated so when a liver becomes available I will be ready.”
Time is of significant importance for Slick, his family and friends. “It’s going to be a pretty heavy duty operation and the recovery could take 9 months to a year- plus someone has to be with me 24/7,” he said.
In continuing to speak openly, Slick shares his thoughts for seeking help in the form of donations so this will be possible. “I do have insurance but it will not be enough to cover all of the expenses. I am a working musician and right now because of my health, I’m not working at all. Being
a musician is a great job and I love what I do but not all of us are paid like Paul McCartney. It’s a decent living but not enough to cover something as big as a liver transplant. Donations in any amount are going to be helpful. I’ve never had to do anything like this before but with the way the situation is I have no other source of income.”
It should also be noted that Slick is not paid any type of royalties or anything of that nature from bands or individual artists he may play with. He receives straight pay at a flat rate for doing a gig and that is how he earns his pay. As if facing one's own mortality, suffering from a debilitating illness and losing the job you love was not overwhelming enough, Slick is now faces a monumental amount of medical and day to day living expenses, with no source of income. He may even have to relocate to another state to receive the transplant.
Slick spends every couple of days talking to David Crosby. David had a liver transplant several years ago and provides friendship and support. “He’s my coach because he knows what I am going through,” said Slick.
David Crosby and some of Slick's other famous friends jumped onboard to perform a benefit concert at the Great American Music Hall in San Francisco on February 24, 2013. 100% of the proceeds from the ticket sales and merchandise will go directly towards Slick's ongoing medical and day to day living expenses. Besides David Crosby, Jefferson Airplane/Starship singer Marty Balin, Country Joe McDonald and Big Brother and the Holding Co. are all scheduled to play. Many special surprise guests are expected to pop in throughout the evening as well. One imagines it will be a Who's Who of the San Francisco music scene.
Other fundraising efforts associated with Slick's 2/24 benefit show are also in the works. Hofner Guitars has generously donated a HA-GA04 acoustic guitar which will be autographed by the stars of the benefit and raffled after the show. Raffle tickets will be sold for $20 each or 6 for $100. Fans and friends who cannot attend the benefit are encouraged to participate by buying raffle tickets online. You can buy tickets HERE.
A second guitar, a Fender Squire Bullet has been donated by the San Francisco Guitar Center store. It will also be autographed by the stars of Slick's benefit and auctioned online to the highest bidder. Check back for more information on this auction.
There are lots of other cool things you can get for donating to Slick's cause. Click here to check out the list of swag and donate.
(Portions of this article were written by Helen Marketti for North Coast Voice Newspaper.)