Marty Balin, singer for the ’60s psychedelic rock band Jefferson Airplane, has died, his publicist and family said in a statement. Balin was 76. The statement did not mention a cause of death for the co-founder of the band, and his wife, Susan Joy Balin, was by his side when he died. Balin’s songwriting credits for the Airplane included “It’s No Secret,” “Today,” “Comin’ Back To Me,” “Plastic Fantastic Lover,” “Share a Little Joke,” and “Volunteers.” Jefferson Airplane helped define the San Francisco music scene in the 1960s, debuting at the Matrix nightclub in 1965, about a year before its first album, “Jefferson Airplane Takes Off,” was released. The band performed at three of the legendary music festivals of the ’60s, including the Monterey Pop Festival, Woodstock and Altamont. Jefferson Airplane broke up in 1973, after which Kantner, Slick and Balin formed a new band, Jefferson Starship. That band had a string of hits in the 1970s including “Miracles” and “Count on Me.” In 1996 Jefferson Airplane was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Balin is survived by his wife, two daughters and two stepdaughters.
