Jefferson Airplane's Marty Balin Dies At 76

SCOTT SIMON, HOST:

Jefferson Airplane flew high in the psychedelic '60s. The band played everywhere from Golden Gate Park in San Francisco to Woodstock, where the group performed "Volunteers."

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "VOLUNTEERS")

JEFFERSON AIRPLANE: (Singing) Now it's time for you and me. Got a revolution. Got to revolution. Come on now, we're marching to the sea. Got a revolution. Got to revolution.

SIMON: Marty Balin, who sang that song, has died. He was 76 years old. He was raised in the Bay Area and was a folk singer and guitarist in the mid-'60s when he met Paul Kantner, Jorma Kaukonen and Grace Slick. They became the band Jefferson Airplane. Songs like "White Rabbit," "Somebody To Love" and Balin's "Plastic Fantastic Lover" followed.

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "PLASTIC FANTASTIC LOVER")

MARTY BALIN: (Singing) Her rattlin' cough never shuts off, is nothing but a used machine. Her aluminum finish slightly diminished is the best I ever have seen.

SIMON: Marty Balin left the airplane, as fans called it, in 1971. Three years later, he helped form Jefferson Starship with some of the original members of Jefferson Airplane. More hits followed like "Miracles," which Marty Balin wrote and sang.

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "MIRACLES")

JEFFERSON STARSHIP: If only you believe like I believe - if only you believe like I believe - baby, we'd get by. If only you believe...

SIMON: Marty Balin continued to sing, record and produce music until 2016. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.