Remembering Marty Balin
• Marty Balin, co-founder of the San Francisco psychedelic rock band Jefferson Airplane, and whose tenor voice became a key component of the band’s signature sound, died Thursday, Sept. 27 at the age of 76. Balin’s rep confirmed the musician’s death to Rolling Stone, though the cause of death is currently unknown.
Born Martyn Jerel Buchwald, Balin was a struggling folk guitarist in San Francisco when he formed a band with Paul Kantner after meeting at a hootenanny. They met up with guitarist Jorma Kaukonen, bassist Jack Casady, drummer Skip Spence and singer Signe Toly Anderson and cut their 1966 debut LP, Jefferson Airplane Takes Off. They developed a strong following around the budding San Francisco rock scene, but became nationwide superstars in 1967 when Anderson left the group and was replaced by Grace Slick. Balin played with the Airplane at their most famous gigs, including the Monterey Pop Festival, Woodstock and Altamont. At the latter gig, Balin was brutally beaten up by Hells Angels after he dove into the audience to help an audience member in distress. “I woke up with all these boot marks all over my body,” Balin told Relixin 1993. “I just walked out there. I remember Jorma saying, ‘Hey, you’re a crazy son of a bitch.'”
A year later, Balin quit the group and spent a few years managing rock bands in San Francisco, but was pulled back into the group’s orbit by Kantner in 1974 in the offshoot Jefferson Starship, which went on to have more hits than the original Airplane, including the Balin-penned “Miracles,” which reached No. 3 in 1975. By 1978, Balin left the group for a solo career. In 1989, he participated in a short-lived Jefferson Airplane reunion tour and returned four years later to Jefferson Starship, finally leaving for good in 2008.
In a statement, Neil Portnow, President/CEO of the Recording Academy said, “Marty Balin was a respected singer, songwriter, and musician best known as lead vocalist and founding member of Jefferson Airplane. In the 1960s, the group became the biggest breakthrough psychedelic rock band with the release of Surrealistic Pillow, which included the hit songs “White Rabbit” and “Somebody to Love.” Alongside Jefferson Airplane, Balin was honored with the Recording Academy™ Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016 for his outstanding artistic contributions to the field of recording. Balin was as a pioneer of psychedelic rock and will be remembered for bringing the signature sound to San Francisco and beyond. Our sincerest condolences go out to his family, friends, and all who have been impacted by his work.” [Photo: Arthur Rosato]
