Donny Baldwin


Donny Baldwin is an American drummer best known as a member of Jefferson Starship and its continuation Starship.

Biography

Donny Baldwin grew up in Palo Alto, California. Baldwin began his career as a drummer for Elvin Bishop during the 1970s, where he worked with his future Jefferson Starship bandmate Mickey Thomas. When the Elvin Bishop band disbanded he joined the Santa Cruz band Snail and gigged around the Bay Area until 1982.
After Aynsley Dunbar left Jefferson Starship in 1982, Baldwin replaced him and joined his old bandmate Thomas; he made his recorded debut with the band on the Nuclear Furniture LP in 1984. He remained with the band, which soon took the name Starship, through the recording of their studio album, Love Among the Cannibals. In September 1989 Baldwin assaulted Thomas while Starship was on tour in Scranton, Pennsylvania; Thomas required reconstructive surgery on his face and head, and Baldwin was fired from the band. From February 1994 until its demise in April 1995, Baldwin drummed for the Jerry Garcia Band.
He rejoined the reformed Jefferson Starship in 2008, replacing Prairie Prince, and performed on the tour in support of the 2008 studio album Jefferson's Tree of Liberty. Baldwin currently tours with Jefferson Starship as well as playing drums for Lydia Pense as a member of Cold Blood.
In 2017, former Jefferson Starship band member Craig Chaquico filed suit against the other remaining members of the band, including David Freiberg and Donny Baldwin, over the use of the Jefferson Starship band name on tour billings and merchandise, citing a 1985 agreement to retire the band name. On December 4, 2018, the lawsuit concerning the use of the name Jefferson Starship was dismissed after an undisclosed settlement was reached between Chaquico and the current members of the band.