Joey Covington
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Joseph Edward Covington (born Joseph Edward Michno; June 27, 1945 – June 4, 2013) was an American drummer, best known for his involvements with
Jefferson Airplane Jefferson Airplane was an American Rock music, rock band formed in San Francisco, California, in 1965. One of the pioneering bands of psychedelic rock, the group defined the San Francisco Sound and was the first from the San Francisco Bay Area, ...
, Hot Tuna and
Jefferson Starship Jefferson Starship is an American rock band from San Francisco, California, formed in 1974 by a group of musicians including former members of Jefferson Airplane. Between 1974 and 1984, they released eight RIAA certification, gold or Music rec ...
.


Early life

Though best known for his work with Jefferson Airplane, Electric Hot Tuna, and
Jefferson Starship Jefferson Starship is an American rock band from San Francisco, California, formed in 1974 by a group of musicians including former members of Jefferson Airplane. Between 1974 and 1984, they released eight RIAA certification, gold or Music rec ...
, Joey Covington (born Joseph Michno) had a long career starting at age 10 as a self-taught drummer/percussionist, along with becoming an award-winning songwriter and ultimately recording on over 22 albums, of which 16 went gold and platinum. Covington became a professional drummer as a young teenager, taking gigs with, among other things, polka bands and in strip clubs in his hometown of Johnstown, Pennsylvania. A colorful character, on his website he listed among his fondest early memories "Getting to New York City on a Greyhound bus with a suitcase, a set of drums, and a hundred dollars in my pocket."


1960s and 1970s

In the early to mid-'60s, he was playing with bands that opened shows for the
Rolling Stones The Rolling Stones are an English Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1962. Active for over six decades, they are one of the most popular, influential, and enduring bands of the Album era, rock era. In the early 1960s, the band pione ...
, Dave Clark 5, The Shangri-Las, Lee Dorsey, Lou Christie,
Chad and Jeremy Chad & Jeremy were a British musical duo consisting of Chad Stuart and Jeremy Clyde, who began working in 1962 and had their first hit song in the UK with "Yesterday's Gone (song), Yesterday's Gone" (1963). That song became a hit in the United S ...
, Jimmy Beaumont and the Skyliners, among others. He also had a stint playing drums for
Dick Clark Richard Wagstaff Clark (November 30, 1929April 18, 2012) was an American television and radio personality and television producer who hosted ''American Bandstand'' from 1956 to 1989. He also hosted five incarnations of the Pyramid (game show), ...
's Caravan of Stars featuring acts such as
the Supremes The Supremes were an American girl group formed in Detroit, Michigan, in 1959 as the Primettes. A premier act of Motown Records during the 1960s, the Supremes were the most commercially successful of Motown's acts and the most successful Amer ...
. In 1965, Covington became associated with a Pittsburgh band, The Fenways. While he was with The Fenways he played drums on 4 singles which included "I'm a Mover". Covington settled in Los Angeles in late 1966. He was quickly discovered and produced by famed producer/songwriter
Kim Fowley Kim Vincent Fowley (July 21, 1939 – January 15, 2015) was an American record producer, songwriter and musician who was behind a string of novelty and cult pop rock singles in the 1960s, and managed the Runaways in the 1970s. He has been ...
as a singing drummer. The single released was a cover of
The Who The Who are an English Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1964. Their classic lineup (1964–1978) consisted of lead vocalist Roger Daltrey, guitarist Pete Townshend, bassist John Entwistle and drummer Keith Moon. Considered one of th ...
's "Boris The Spider" with "I'll Do Better Next Time" on the B side (the first song Covington ever wrote). He co-formed several bands in Los Angeles during that period. Tsong with Mickey Rooney Jr., and a yet-to-be-named band with
Papa John Creach John Henry Creach (May 28, 1917 – February 22, 1994), better known as Papa John Creach, was an American blues violinist who also played classical, jazz, R&B, pop and acid rock music. Early in his career, he performed as a journeyman musician w ...
, Jimmy Greenspoon and Joe Schermie. Papa John later was brought in by Covington to Jefferson Airplane, Hot Tuna, Jefferson Starship and went on to a long solo recording career. Jimmy & Joe went on to become members of
Three Dog Night Three Dog Night is an American rock band formed in 1967, founded by vocalists Chuck Negron, Cory Wells, and Danny Hutton. This lineup was soon augmented by Jimmy Greenspoon (keyboards), Joe Schermie (bass), Michael Allsup (guitar), and Floyd Sn ...
. A member of Jefferson Airplane, Covington at first co-formed Hot Tuna with Jefferson Airplane members Jorma Kaukonen and Jack Casady in late 1968 with Hot Tuna opening shows for the Airplane. In early 1969 Covington was playing in both Hot Tuna and augmenting, then ultimately replacing Airplane drummer Spencer Dryden. Covington, whose first recording with the Airplane was on the classic 1969 album Volunteers, appeared on the group's final recordings, writing and singing "Pretty As You Feel". 1971's "Pretty As You Feel" was the last hit song of Jefferson Airplane. The bandmembers were heading in different musical directions and by 1974, Jefferson Airplane broke up. Covington performed with Jefferson Airplane at the Atlantic City (New Jersey, USA) Pop Festival in August 1969 just prior to Woodstock. He was particularly enthralled with Little Richard, as he watched from the side on stage along with Grace Slick. This led to an invitation to Little Richard to join him at a recording session in San Francisco, CA, USA, which resulted in the still-unreleased "Bludgeon of a Bluecoat aka The Man", featuring Richard on piano. It was scheduled for release in 1992 but withheld yet again due to lyric content, when rapper Ice T's "Cop Killer" was removed from record stores in 1992. Covington left Jefferson Airplane, Hot Tuna and turned down Jefferson Starship to record a solo album: ''Joe E. Covington's Fat Fandango'' that included the single "Your Heart Is My Heart". The album was released worldwide resulting in high sales and critical acclaim. According to his official website, ''Fat Fandango'' was released to all online music platforms in October 2019. Never quite leaving the Airplane family, he co-wrote the award-winning and multi-platinum hit in 1976 for Jefferson Starship, "With Your Love", and Papa John Creach's only top 40 hit, "Janitor Drives A Cadillac".


1980s to 2000s

Covington remained musically active throughout his life; in the 1970s through the 1980s he formed San Francisco All Stars and toured the U.S. also touring with
Quicksilver Messenger Service Quicksilver Messenger Service is an American psychedelic rock band formed in 1965 in San Francisco. The band achieved wide popularity in the San Francisco Bay Area and, through their recordings, with psychedelic rock enthusiasts around the globe, ...
. The 1990s and 2000s brought Covington back to Los Angeles where he recorded and toured with various all-star line-ups. Covington was well known around the
Palm Springs Palm Springs (Cahuilla language, Cahuilla: ''Séc-he'') is a desert resort city in Riverside County, California, United States, within the Colorado Desert's Coachella Valley. The city covers approximately , making it the largest city in Rivers ...
area as a talented musician who delighted his audiences by sitting in with his musician friends drumming on a song or two. His last performance was in Palm Springs for a city-sponsored event on June 1, 2013. Covington thrilled his audience and signed autographs following the performance.


Charitable events

Covington made numerous appearances performing for charity. A few are: * NYFD families of victims of
9/11 The September 11 attacks, also known as 9/11, were four coordinated Islamist terrorist suicide attacks by al-Qaeda against the United States in 2001. Nineteen terrorists hijacked four commercial airliners, crashing the first two into ...
*
Ronald McDonald House Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) is an independent American nonprofit organization whose stated mission is to create, find, and support programs that directly improve the health and well-being of children. RMHC has a global network of ...
for children * Victims of
Hurricane Katrina Hurricane Katrina was a powerful, devastating and historic tropical cyclone that caused 1,392 fatalities and damages estimated at $125 billion in late August 2005, particularly in the city of New Orleans and its surrounding area. ...
with
Bo Diddley Ellas Otha Bates (December 30, 1928 – June 2, 2008), known professionally as Bo Diddley, was an American guitarist and singer who played a key role in the transition from the blues to rock and roll. He influenced many artists, including Buddy ...
* Consul General of Finland's fundraiser for
Musicares MusiCares Foundation is a non-profit organization established in 1989 and incorporated in 1993 by the The Recording Academy, National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. Meant for musicians to have a place to turn in times of financial, pers ...
*
Bread and Roses "Bread and Roses" is a political slogan associated with women's suffrage and the labor movement, as well as an associated poem and song. It originated in a speech given by American women's suffrage activist Helen Todd; a line in that speech ab ...


Death

Covington died in an automobile accident in
Palm Springs, California Palm Springs (Cahuilla language, Cahuilla: ''Séc-he'') is a desert resort city in Riverside County, California, United States, within the Colorado Desert's Coachella Valley. The city covers approximately , making it the largest city in Rivers ...
, on June 4, 2013. He slammed into a retaining wall after losing control of his car at a curve in the road. He was 67. There is controversy as to whether he was wearing a seat belt. A witness removed the seat belt and was administering CPR before paramedics and law enforcement arrived at the scene. Later photos taken of the seat belt show the car's airbag indentation marks on the seat belt when the airbag deployed. According to Palm Springs Police, alcohol and drugs were not involved in the accident. Per his official website, Covington was survived by one person, his long time partner, Lauren Taines.


Solo releases and other related


References


External links


Biography at Jefferson Airplane

Pittsburgh Music History: Joey Covington
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Covington, Joey 1945 births 2013 deaths American rock drummers Songwriters from Pennsylvania People from Cambria County, Pennsylvania Hot Tuna members Original Sound artists Road incident deaths in California