Original Jefferson Airplane bassist Bob Harvey is singing a new tune after turning to God

SUGAR GROVE — Bob Harvey lived the cliched life of sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll as the original bassist of '60s Hall of Fame rock band Jefferson Airplane back then.

"You bet," he said. "But not now."

Now at 88, he's been married since 2018 and has found God. He's a member Allen Chapel Church in Lancaster and has been clean and sober from drugs and alcohol since 1984.

"It's a 100% different now, that 's for sure," Harvey said. "As far as the drug are concerned, or anything else addictive, I'm clean. I have a close relationship with God. I have a wife whose a very Godly person and we're closely involved with more than one church locally. It's a day-by-day walk with God in my life. That's what my life circles around at this point."

Harvey, a Seattle native and father of three, said he realizes that God created him and loves him.

"And His way is the way that I was created to be and to live that way," he said. "I have not only realized it, but I have turned over my life to the creator and my god and my high priest. Jesus Christ, His son, is the one who paid the price that I owe.

"I do my best daily to live faithfully by his rules. Of course, I stumble. I've got 78 years of habits in the way of thinking and the way of acting that are contrary to what God directs in the Scriptures. But I work at it."

Harvey said part of his success as a Christian man stems from marrying a woman who shares the same religious goal. His wife's name is, Joyce. She is not the local historian, Joyce Harvey, however.

"We try daily to live up to it and be a light to other people," Harvey said.

Harvey was at the forefront of the acid rock genre in 1960s San Francisco where Jefferson Airplane formed.

Airplane members Paul Kantner and Marty Balin were watching Harvey's bluegrass band perform at a club in 1965. During a break, Balin invited him to his apartment the next day to play and see how things went.

"It (band) didn't have a name at that point," Harvey said. "It was simply Marty and Paul talking about putting a band together."

Airplane guitarist Jorma Kaukonen later came up with the Jefferson Airplane name.

Harvey recorded demos with the Airplane but was asked to leave before the band recorded its first album and achieved the success that would merit its enshrinement in the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame. The band replaced him with Jack Casady.

"It was my own fault," Harvey said of his termination. "I was paying more attention to smoking marijuana and chasing girls than I was to the music. And I got fired."

Harvey then reformed his bluegrass band and continued on with his career, which included performing with songwriter, musician and actor Paul Williams. He also attended parties that Charles Manson also attended, although the two never talked to each other.

"He was scary to me," Harvey said. "The scary part was the way he treated other people."

Harvey said he had no concept of God back in those days.

"No, no," he said. "It was totally self-oriented. Nothing to do with God."

But about 10 years ago he was married to a former wife now deceased and living in Georgia when he was arrested. He was taking care of his ex-wife and threatened the woman's son when Harvey said the son wouldn't help with her care.

"I ended up in jail," he said. "It was the bottom of a dry well. I had nowhere to turn at that point. My son, Rob, who lived here in Columbus, came down to Georgia to visit me just after my getting released out of jail. I was despondent, pretty much. It led me to the Lord."

He then later moved here to be closer to his son after a fall at his house in Georgia and previous medical issues. Harvey met his current wife in Ohio.

Oddly enough, two original members of Jefferson Airplane live fairly close to each other. While Harvey lives in Sugar Grove, Kaukonen lives in Pomeroy and owns the Fur Peace Ranch there. Harvey has seen Kaukonen perform in Lancaster, but said the two are not especially close.

"We're on speaking terms," Harvey said. "But we don't have much in common anymore."

Harvey is still a performing musician and has written his first gospel song.

"That's where my focus is," he said of his faith.

Looking back on his life, Harvey said the good and bad someone does is what forms them.

"You can't really throw it out because it really is who you are," he said. "Yes, the memories are all still there. There's good memories and there's bad ones all woven in together. I can pick things out, special moments of all kinds."

jbarron@gannett.com

740-681-4340

Twitter: @JeffDBarron

This article originally appeared on Lancaster Eagle-Gazette: Original Jefferson Airplane bassist Bob Harvey sings a new tune life