Marty Balin!

Marty Balin was always third banana in the Jefferson Airplane behind Grace Slick and Paul Kantner. While Grace sang and Paul played guitar, Marty kind of stood off to the side and waited for his turn. Most people just remember Marty as the guy who got knocked out by the Hells Angels at Altamount. In fact other than Somebody to Love and White Rabbit, the Airplane is largely forgotten now. But Marty Balin has died at age 76. Paul Kantner died a couple of years back and Grace Slick is in exile doing who knows what.

The Airplane pretty much became irrelevant after 1968. They got some good footage out of the Woodstock movie (Migawd Grace was hot) but they ended because Jorma Kaukonen and Jack Casady wanted to play real music and the group broke up. Then came the Jefferson Starship which featured just Kantner, Grace and Marty with a band of hired Bay Area musicians. Then came Miracles. That was Marty's song. Then came Mickey Thomas and Marty was out again.

RIP Marty Balin. You never got the credit you deserved.