Grace Slick Net Worth

Grace Slick, a retired American musician and singer-songwriter, has a net worth of $20 million. Renowned for her influence in the 1960s psychedelic rock scene, she is best known for her iconic hits “White Rabbit” and “Somebody to Love.” As a member of Jefferson Airplane, and later with Jefferson Starship and Starship, Slick left a lasting legacy in rock music. Remarkably, she retains the majority of control and royalties from “White Rabbit,” which remains popular on streaming services and continues to feature in commercials and films.

Grace Slick Net Worth	$20 Million
Date of Birth	October 30, 1939
Place of Birth	Highland Park, Illinois
Nationality	American
Profession	Musician, Singer-songwriter

Table of Contents

Early Life

Grace Slick was born Grace Barnett Wing on October 30, 1939, in Highland Park, Illinois. Her parents were of Swedish and Norwegian descent. She spent her early years in Highland Park, an affluent suburb of Chicago, with her younger brother. Due to her father’s job as an investment banker, the family moved frequently, living in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and the Chicago metropolitan area. Eventually, they settled in Palo Alto, California, where Slick attended Palo Alto Senior High School before transferring to the private, all-girls Castilleja School.

After high school, Slick moved to New York City and enrolled in Finch College, but left in 1958. She then attended the University of Miami in Coral Gables, Florida, for a year. In 1961, she married aspiring filmmaker Gerald Slick and moved to San Francisco, where she worked as a model for I. Magnin & Company department stores and began composing music.

Jefferson Airplane

Slick’s career in music began in 1965 after reading about the newly formed band Jefferson Airplane. She formed her own band, The Great Society, where she played guitar and performed vocals alongside her husband Jerry on drums, his brother Darby on lead guitar, and David Miner on bass. During this time, Slick wrote and composed the psychedelic classic “White Rabbit,” a song inspired by her childhood readings of “Alice in Wonderland” and her own hallucinogenic experiences.

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The Great Society’s notable song, “Somebody to Love,” would later become famous through Jefferson Airplane. In the fall of 1966, Slick joined Jefferson Airplane, replacing one of their singers. With her addition, the band released their second studio album, “Surrealistic Pillow,” in February 1967. The album included “Somebody to Love” and “White Rabbit,” both of which became major hits, peaking at #5 and #8 on the “Billboard” Hot 100, respectively. The album is celebrated as one of the most influential of the psychedelic rock era and was ranked #471 on Rolling Stone’s “500 Greatest Albums of All Time” list in 2020.

Jefferson Starship

In 1970, after members Jack Casady and Jorma Kaukonen left Jefferson Airplane, the remaining members formed Jefferson Starship. The band’s debut album, “Dragon Fly,” released in 1974, was a commercial success, achieving Gold certification and peaking at #11 on the “Billboard” 200 chart. Their subsequent album, “Red Octopus” (1975), topped the Billboard 200 and featured the hit singles “Miracles” and “Play on Love.” Further albums like “Spitfire” (1976) and “Earth” (1978) continued their success.

After a brief hiatus, Slick returned to the group for their 1981 album “Modern Times,” followed by “Winds of Change” (1982) and “Nuclear Furniture” (1984). Following this, the band morphed into Starship, with Slick and a few members continuing under the new name. Slick eventually left Starship in 1988 and joined Jefferson Airplane for a reunion tour in 1989.

Solo Career and Retirement

Apart from her work with Jefferson Airplane and its affiliates, Slick released several solo albums: “Manhole” (1974), “Dreams” (1980), “Welcome to the Wrecking Ball!” (1981), and “Software” (1984). After completing the Jefferson Airplane reunion tour, she retired from music, citing her age as a reason for stepping away from the lifestyle.

Personal Life

Slick’s first marriage to cinematographer and bandmate Jerry Slick lasted from 1961 to 1967. She had a relationship with her Jefferson Airplane bandmate Paul Kantner, with whom she had a daughter in 1971. Slick later married lighting director Skip Johnson in 1976, but they divorced in 1994. She has publicly discussed her struggles with substance abuse, particularly alcohol, which led to issues during tours.

Real Estate

For decades, Slick lived in Mill Valley, north of San Francisco in Marin County. In 1993, her longtime home burned down due to a controlled burn gone awry, leading to a successful lawsuit against the county. She used the settlement to buy a home in Malibu for $960,000 in 1996. Today, this property is estimated to be worth $4-5 million. She sold the Mill Valley property in 1995 for $650,000.