Starship guitarist Mark Abrahamian has died after playing a show in Norfolk, Nebraska. He was 46.
He’d been a member of the band, led by former Jefferson Starship vocalist Mickey Thomas, for twelve years. He was planning to get married in December.
Abrahamian had been suffering chest pains but hadn’t told his colleagues. He complained of feeling unwell after their opening set on a bill with Survivor and Boston on Sunday, and collapsed soon afterwards.
Tour manager Scott Harrison tells Today Online: “We had just finished the show. We were in the dressing room eating. He told the bass player he wasn’t feeling well.”
The guitarist fell to the floor while on a phone call with his fiancee. Medics rushed him to hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Harrison says: “It’s a shock to everyone.”
A band statement says: “We are shocked and saddened at the sudden loss of Mark. We will miss you, brother. Rest in peace.”
Abrahamian was inspired to pick up the guitar after hearing Eddie Van Halen’s Eruption solo. He had worked with a number of big names including Bobby Kimball, Fee Waybill, Joe Lynn Turner and Pat Travers.
Thomas formed his version of Starship in 1992, a year after the original band split and guitarist Paul Kantner set about reforming Jefferson Starship without him.
-Classic Rock Magazine
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