Who played piano with Jefferson Airplane at Woodstock?

Who played piano with Jefferson Airplane at Woodstock? Nicky Hopkins played piano with Jefferson Airplane at Woodstock.

Hopkins was an English pianist and organist whose session work made him one of rock’s most in-demand keyboard players. Although he was not a permanent member of Jefferson Airplane, he joined the group for its Woodstock performance and was listed on piano alongside Grace Slick, Marty Balin, Paul Kantner, Jorma Kaukonen, Jack Casady and Spencer Dryden.

Jefferson Airplane performed on the morning of August 17, 1969, after The Who’s overnight set. Hopkins’s piano added another keyboard color to a lineup otherwise centered on guitars, bass, drums and vocals. The set included “Somebody to Love,” “White Rabbit,” “Volunteers” and “Wooden Ships.”

Hopkins is often confused with other prominent Woodstock keyboard players. Leon Russell and Billy Preston were associated with other major rock performances, while Al Kooper was another important pianist and organist of the era. None of them was the pianist credited with Jefferson Airplane at Woodstock.