Jorma Kaukonen's nickname "Blind Thomas Jefferson Airplane" (which sounds more like a short-lived inside joke) was given to him by a friend after one of his influences Blind Lemon Jefferson. Jorma proposed the shortened Jefferson Airplane as a silly idea for a band name which then seriously became the band's name.
When the band released their debut album Jefferson Airplane Takes Off (in 1966 on the RCA Victor label), they were a tight musical group with folk-inspired harmonies and a killer bass player in Jack Casady. The band's songwriting wasn't yet a match for their musical talent and the album came too early in LP history to highlight their exciting, extended jam sessions.
Included in this entry is Marty Balin's first folk group, The Town Criers.
Here is the discography surrounding Jefferson Airplane's debut album:
Live in San Francisco (1964 live recording by The Town Criers)
It's No Secret (1966 single)
Come Up the Years (1966 single)
Bringing Me Down (1966 single)
Jefferson Airplane Take Off
Signe's Farewell (1966 live album)
"It's No Secret" by Jefferson Airplane
"And I Like It (alternate version)" by Jefferson Airplane
A formative event in the life of Lightnin' Hopkins was his fateful meeting, at the age of eight, with Blind Lemon Jefferson at a church function in 1920. Blind Lemon Jefferson carved out the definition of Texas Blues with his improvisational, fast-paced guitar picking. His first compilation album, The Folk Blues of Blind Lemon Jefferson, came out in 1955 on London Records long after he passed away (in 1929.)
Here is the discography surrounding Blind Lemon Jefferson's "debut" album:
Booster Blues (1926 single)
Long Lonesome Blues (1926 single)
Long Lonesome Blues (1926 single)
Black Horse Blues (1926 single)
Jack O Diamond Blues (1926 single)
All I Want Is That Pure Religion (1926 single as Deacon L. J. Bates)
Old Rounders Blues (1926 single)
That Black Snake Moan (1926 single)
Wartime Blues (1927 single)
Bad Luck Blues (1927 single)
Rabbit Foot Blues (1927 single)
Black Snake Moan (1927 single)
Match Box Blues (1927 single)
Rising High Water Blues (1927 single)
Hot Dogs (1927 single)
Black Snake Dream Blues (1927 single)
Rambler Blues (1927 single)
Chinch Bug Blues (1927 single)
Gone Dead on You Blues (1927 single)
Where Shall I Be (1928 single as Deacon L. J. Bates)
Sunshine Special (1928 single)
'Lectric Chair Blues (1928 single)
Lemon's Worried Blues (1928 single)
Balky Mule Blues (1928 single)
Lemon's Cannon Ball Moan (1928 single)
Piney Woods Money Mama (1928 single)
Blind Lemon's Penitentiary Blues (1928 single)
Lockstep Blues (1928 single)
How Long How Long (1928 single)
Christmas Eve Blues (1928 single)
D B Blues (1929 single)
Competition Bed Blues (1929 single)
Eagle Eyed Mama (1929 single)
That Black Snake Moan No. 2 (1929 single)
Oil Well Blues (1929 single)
Peach Orchard Mama (1929 single)
Bakershop Blues (1929 single)
Bed Springs Blues (1929 single)
Pneumonia Blues (1929 single)
Hometown Skiffle (1930 single by The Paramount All Stars)
Southern Woman Blues (1930 single)
Cat Man Blues (1930 single)
The Cheaters Spell (1930 single)
Bootin' Me 'Bout (1930 single)
The Folk Blues of Lemon Jefferson
Blind Lemon's Penitentiary Blues and Other Folk Songs by Blind Lemon Jefferson (1955 compilation album)
Blind Lemon Jefferson Sings the Blues (1957 compilation album)
Complete Recorded Works in Chronological Order Volume 1 (compilation album)
Complete Recorded Works in Chronological Order Volume 2 (compilation album)
Complete Recorded Works in Chronological Order Volume 3 (compilation album)
Complete Recorded Works in Chronological Order Volume 4 (compilation album)
"That Black Snake Moan" by Blind Lemon Jefferson
"Corinna Blues" by Blind Lemon Jefferson
"Shuckin' Sugar Blues" by Blind Lemon Jefferson
"Easy Rider Blues" by Blind Lemon Jefferson
"Hot Dogs" by Blind Lemon Jefferson
"D B Blues" by Blind Lemon Jefferson
"I Want to Be Like Jesus in My Heart" by Deacon L. J. Bates
