Grace Slick Net Worth: The Truth Behind Her Riches (Facts and Bio)
The 60s, 70s, and 80s are packed with music performed by famous singer Grace Slick. Grace’s bright blue eyes fascinated male fans for decades as she showcased her talent on stages worldwide. As a member of four of the most influential bands of the rock era, Grace Slick has accumulated respect, prestige, fame, and a healthy Net Worth.
One of the world’s biggest female rock stars, Grace Slick, has amassed a net worth of $20 million through album sales and royalties from her best hits, “Someone to Love” and “White Rabbit.” She is renowned as the female vocals for the bands Starship, Jefferson Starship, and Jefferson Airplane.
Grace Slick, a co-founder of The Great Society, a well-known psychedelic band, reinvented rock for female vocalists nationwide. Grace’s career took off after joining the young rock band Jefferson Airplane.
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Grace Slick’s Net Worth
Grace Slick, born October 30, 1939, has a net worth of $20 million. Known as a singer, painter, and songwriter, she rose to fame as the voice behind the hits Somebody to Love and White Rabbit. Her music career started with the 1965 rock band The Great Society and later went to Jefferson Airplane.
Grace’s famous painting of White Rabbit sparked her art career and spread to other paintings sought by many collectors. Grace Slick still receives royalties from her song “White Rabbit,” popular in films, streaming services, and commercials. Grace is retired, but her music career still generates large amounts of money from royalties, radio stations, and television interviews.
Grace Slick’s Bio
Full Name: Grace Slick (Born Grace Barnett Wing)
Nickname: The Chrome Nun
Birth date: October 30, 1939
Zodiac Sign: Scorpio
Height: 5′ 7 inches
Relationship Status: Divorced
Early Life
Grace Slick was born Grace Barnett Wing on October 30, 1939, in Highland Park, Chicago, to father, Ivan Wilford Wing and mother Virginia Wing née Barnett. Slick’s father worked in investment banking and was transferred often during her youth.
During Grace’s early years, her family lived in the metropolitan part of Chicago and Los Angeles and, in the early 50s, settled in Palo Alto, California.
Grace went to Palo Alto Senior High School until she moved to a private girls’ school, “Castilleja,” in Palo Alto. After graduating, Grace went to New York to study at Finch College and then attended the University of Miami in Coral Gables until 1959.
Grace caught the eye of cinematographer and drummer Gerald Slick, also known as “Jerry,” and tied the knot in Grace Chapel on August 26, 1961. Grace and her husband Jerry left San Francisco, where she did some modeling in a department store while composing music.
Grace’s compositions were included in a short film Gerald Slick produced, and after 10 years, in 1971, she divorced Gerald.
Professional Career
After reading an article about the new rock band Jefferson Airplane in the San Francisco Chronicle. Grace, her husband Jerry, David Miner, and her brother-in-law Darby Slick went to The Matrix to attend one of Jefferson Airplane’s concerts.
Inspired by the band’s performance, the four decided to form The Great Society, which had its first show on October 15, 1965, at the Coffee Gallery.
Soon after the band started performing, Slick wrote a psychedelic piece called White Rabbit. According to Grace, writing the song took her an hour, reflecting the hallucinations from psychedelic drugs.
White Rabbit’s fast tempo instantly became a hit among the band’s supporters. Grace’s song “White Rabbit” and her explosive personality on stage soon caused fans to give her the nickname Acid Queen.
Grace Slick was a key figure in San Francisco’s early psychedelic music scene in the 60s. Slick’s music career started with the band “The Great Society” in 1964, but her fame rose when she joined Jefferson Airplane.
This new rock band defined the San Francisco Sound, and with Grace as part of the band, they quickly rose and succeeded internationally with their 1967 album Surrealistic Pillow.
Surrealistic Pillow included hits “White Rabbit” and “Somebody to Love” that reached the top-ten Billboard. During her time as a vocalist for Jefferson Airplane, Grace was in a relationship with the guitarist and founding member Paul Kantner. The two got involved in 1969 but never married and have a daughter China Wing Kantner, born on January 25, 1971.
Grace Slick continued as one of the lead vocalists until the band had a makeover and changed a few members and the name to Jefferson Starship in 1974. The band released eight platinum albums, with Red Octopus reaching the Billboard No. 1 spot in 1975.
Slick’s relationship with Paul ended in 1975, and she married Skip Johnson in 1976 while she and Paul remained with Jefferson’s Starship.
Jefferson Starship underwent another change in 1984 with the retirement of the last remaining founding member of Jefferson Airplane, Paul Kantner. After a lawsuit, Kantner left with the name Jefferson that introduced its third name change Starship.
Grace Slick continued with the band as a co-lead vocalist with hit songs like “We Build the City” and “Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now.”
Retirement From Music
Grace released four solo albums, and her music career spanned over four decades until she left the band and retired in 1990. When asked why she is retiring, Grace replied, “All rock-and-rollers past the age of 50 look stupid and should retire.”
Grace was active in all three bands and was honoured for her music career. Slick’s induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996 was given for her part in Jefferson Airplane.
Where Did All Her Richness Come From?
Grace Slick co-founded the band The Great Society and contributed to many of their original material. The Great Society shifted its focus to become a raga-inspired psychedelic attraction, and by the end of 1965, the band was a great success. The Great Society had a huge following, but Grace and the other band members were not feeling the financial benefits yet.
Toward the end of 1965, the Great Society recorded various songs under the direction of Sylvester Stewart at Golden State Recorders. Darby Slick, Grace’s brother-in-law, wrote “Someone to Love” and recorded it at Autumn Records. Someone to love was a hit for The Great Society, and it drew many fans to singer Grace Slick and was the start of her fame and riches.
Jefferson Airplane from 1966 To 1972
In 1966, Signe Toly Anderson, one of Jefferson Airplane’s vocalists, left the band, and their guitarist Jack Casady approached Grace to join the group. Being a fan of the band for some time, Grace excepted, and she brought a fresh perspective to Jefferson Airplane that moved their focus in a psychedelic direction.
Jefferson Airplane was a hit with their album “Surrealistic Pillow,” and the album sold over a million records that included Grace’s song “White Rabbit” and a new rendition of “Somebody to Love.” Both songs reached the top 10 singles, and Jefferson Airplane skyrocketed to fame and made Grace Slick one of the best-known female rock vocalists during the 60s.
Jefferson Airplane sold over 4.5 million records worldwide, and their fame produced enormous crowds during their live performances.
Grace Slick stuck with the band until some key band members left, and “Airplane” was removed from the band name. With all the success and hits produced by Jefferson Airplane, Grace’s earnings escalated as the band generated enormous amounts of money.
Jefferson Starship and Grace Slick’s Solo Career From 1970 To 1984
Jack Casady and Jorma Kaukonen left the band in 1970, and Grace dropped “Airplane” from the name and formed Jefferson Starship with Paul Kantner. Musician Pete Sears joined Jefferson Starship in 1974 and co-wrote a few songs with Grace Slick.
The band had great success with their album Red Octopus in 1975, which reached double platinum status and skyrocketed in sales.
This period also started Grace Slicks’ solo career and was the start of her unique albums with Manhole, Dreams, Welcome to the Wrecking Ball, and Software. Pete Sears and Grace Slick wrote songs like “Hyperdrive,” “Play on Love,” and many others. With new member Pete in the band, Jefferson Starship started to produce songs and music with a futuristic element that boosted the band’s success.
One of Grace’s biggest success stories was her album Dreams, inspired by the twelve-step program she encountered during her alcohol recovery. Dreams are one of Grace’s most intimate albums, and Ron Frangipane produced it. The Dream album included Grace’s song “Do It the Hard Way,” It was so inspiring that it received a Grammy Award nomination.
Financially Jefferson Starship was a good period for Grace, and the band did many tours and achieved record sales. The band’s album Red Octopus went double platinum, selling over eight million copies. Today the Red Octopus album and many other Jefferson Starship songs are still heard on radio stations worldwide and still produce royalties.
Starship From 1984 To 1989 And The Reunion of Jefferson Airplane
In 1984 Grace was the last member of the Jefferson Airplane band. As part of a settlement during a lawsuit with former member Paul Kantner the name “Jefferson” was dropped from the band name, and only Starship remained. Grace has some negative feelings towards the songs produced by Starship, but they are some of the biggest hits from her career.
Starship had three successful hits, “We Built This City, Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now and Sara,” in the mid-80s and added to Grace’s fame and fortune. During Slicks’ time with Starship, she co-presented The Legendary Ladies of Rock & Roll and did private performances.
Grace left Starship in 1989 and reunited with Jefferson Airplane to release a reunion album and tour before separating for the last time.
Retirement in 1989 To The Present
Grace Slick retired from music in 1990 but has done two appearances with Paul Kantner’s overhauled patrial of Jefferson Starship. One revamped version was in 1995 in Los Angeles at the House of Blues, and the other in 2001.
Although retired, Grace did perform “Knock Me Out” with a previous 4 Non-Blonde singer, Linda Perry, that became the soundtrack for The Crow: City of Angels.
Grace Slick is known for her drawings and paintings, a passion she’s had since childhood. After leaving her music career, Slick painted various versions of musicians from the 60s, including Jerry Garcia. Some of her most famous paintings include Janis Joplin sought after by many collectors.
In 2000, Grace started displaying her artwork and attended up to thirty art shows annually across America.
Grace has various paintings that sell for thousands of dollars. Grace also receives royalties from the songs she wrote and hits from her former bands that play on radio stations worldwide.
Grace Slick’s Personal Issues
In 1971 Grace Slick divorced her first husband, Gerald Slick, to whom she was married since 1961, whereafter she was in a relationship with band member Paul Kantner. Paul and Grace have a child, China Wing Kantner, who was born on January 25, 1971, and after she and Paul split up, Grace married Skip Johnson, a lighting designer, in 1976.
1971 was a bad year for Grace when she was critically hurt in a car accident in San Francisco. Slick smashed her car into the side of a tunnel during a drag race with Jorma Kaukonen. Grace has spoken extensively about her alcohol abuse and her use of LSD and marijuana. Grace has gone for rehabilitation during her music career, which is well documented in her autobiography.
Grace’s alcohol abuse became problematic while she was part of Jefferson Starship, especially during their 1978 European tour. The band’s first evening had to be cancelled, and they suffered a poor performance from Grace the second night since she was intoxicated.
Grace also appeared intoxicated on a game show in San Francisco but was removed after mistreating the contestants.
Grace was admitted for detox at the Duffy facility in Napa Valley and a second time with her daughter China in the 1990s. In 2006 Grace underwent surgery after receiving the news that she suffered from diverticulitis, from which she relapsed and had to go under the knife again.
After her surgery, Grace had to learn to walk again because she was placed in an induced coma for two months.
Grace still makes appearances and does radio interviews, although they are few since she decided to travel less in recent years. In 2016 Grace excepted the Grammy Lifetime Achievement award for being part of Jefferson Airplane and, in 2022, viewed the unveiling of the Jefferson Airplane’s star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Grace Slick’s Properties
Grace Slick’s house in Mill Valley, North of San Francisco, was the singer’s home until a fire destroyed it. A controlled fire started by personnel from the county lost control and burned Grace’s home to the ground in September 1993. Grace received compensation and sold the property for $650 000 in 1995.
Grace bought a two-acre property in Malibu, California, with the money she received from her house in Mill Valley for $960,000 in 1996. The latest estimation value of her two-acre Californian home in Malibu is thought to be between $4 and $5 million.
Grace Slick’s Legacy And Achievements
The famous rock star Grace Slick is one of the earliest female rock icons credited with advancing rock music. Her unique and powerful vocals and explosive stage presence inspired many other female musicians and showcased the best of Acid Rock.
In 1985 Grace claimed the position of the eldest female singer on a Billboard Hot 100 chart-topping single and kept that position until 1999. After changing Jefferson Starship to Starship, Grace climbed to the number one spot at the end of 1985 with the hit song “We Built This City.”
In April 1987, when Grace turned 47, she broke her previous record with Starship’s new release “Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now,” topping the US charts. Grace’s record lasted 12 years until Cher broke it in 1999.
Grace also showcased her talents on the stage when she sang for an exert called “Jazz Numbers,” televised on Sesame Street on November 10, 1969. Grace is fond of animals and shows them in many of her paintings. The 1990 Animal March was a big deal for Grace, and she showed her support by singing “Panda” for a big animal-loving crowd.
Grace also had some tough times, but she overcame them and used them to inspire others and show how anyone can get back up stronger. After her recovery from alcoholism, she wrote her album “Dreams,” and the Grammy Awards nominated her for Best Rock Female Vocalist in 1981.
Famous Stephen King asked Grace to narrate “You Know They Got a Hell of a Band,” a short story first published in January 1992 in the horror anthology Shock Rock. In 1993 Stephen King launched it in his audiobook Nightmares & Dreamscapes.
After four decades as one of the top female rock vocalists ever and a member of Jefferson Airplane, Grace Slick was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996. Nine years after Grace’s retirement from music VH1’s 100 ranked her 20th on the Greatest Women of Rock ‘n’ Roll in 1999.
Grace Slick approved using the Starship song “Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now” to Georgia-based fast food company Chick-fil-A for a TV ad in 2017. Grace disagreed with Chick-fil-A’s opinion on same-sex marriage and donated all the proceeds to Lambda Legal to promote the rights of LGBTQ people and those with HIV.
Where is She Now?
After retiring from her active rock music career in 1990, Grace Slick divorced her husband, Skip Johnson, to whom she was married for 20 years in 1996. From an early age, Grace enjoyed art and spent most of her time drawing and painting. Grace travels quite a bit, showing her paintings in galleries and talking to fans but recently decided to reduce all the travelling.
Although it has been many years since Grace Slick’s last music performance, many still remember the Chrome Nun. The former Jefferson Airplane, Jefferson Starship, and Starship singer is alive and doing well. Grace spends most of her time with her artistry at her home in Malibu, California. At the time of this article, Grace is 83, and her legacy will remain for decades.
Lesson to Learn From Grace Slick’s Life
Grace Slick, known as the Acid Queen, the Chrome Nun, and to her close friends and bandmates Gracey, was one of the biggest female rock stars during her four decades on the stage. From 1964 to 1990, Grace entertained thousands of rock fans, and during that time, she always stayed true to herself.
After retiring, she took a more relaxing lifestyle, leaving some life lesson quotes for us to remember her by.
Here are five of the Acid Queen’s life lesson quotes:
1. “I mean, brassieres and stuff, if you don’t want to wear one, just take it off.”
2. “If you don’t own the stage, you shouldn’t be in rock ‘n’ roll.”
3. “It’s really a drag to sit around when you’re old, and think ‘Ah, gee, I never went to France.’ Go to France. Live is very short, you’ve got to pack it all in there.”
4. “(Growing up,) I was allergic to conformity, and the (artist) lifestyle attracted me. I wanted to express myself in a way that slammed people up against the wall.”
5. “There aren’t too many regrets… The things I wish I did do… were screw Jimi Hendrix and ride a horse.”
Wrap Up
Grace Slick, also called the Acid Queen, is one of the world’s most famous rock female vocalists and ruled the stage from 1964 until she put her mic down the last time in 1989. Known as the female voice for The Great Society, Jefferson Starship, and Starship, it was Jefferson Airplane that she is most famous for.
Grace is best remembered for her song White Rabbit and Somebody to Love.
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