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Marty Balin
Background information
Birth name Martyn Jerel Buchwald
Born January 30, 1942 (1942-01-30) (age 66)
Origin Cincinnati, Ohio
Genre(s) rock
Occupation(s) singer
Instrument(s) vocals, guitar
Years active 1965-present
Associated acts Jefferson Airplane, Jefferson Starship
Marty Balin (born Martyn Jerel Buchwald, January 30, 1942, in Cincinnati, Ohio) is an American musician. He is best known as the lead singer and founder of Jefferson Airplane, the pioneering rock band from San Francisco.
During his late teens, Martyn became interested in being an artist and musician. In 1962, Martyn renamed himself Marty Balin and began recording with Challenge Records, releasing the singles "Nobody But You" and "I Specialize in Love". They garnered little attention, so he went to work with his father and got married. His interest in music did not wane and by 1963-64, Balin was leading a folk music quartet called The Town Criers, with fellow band members Larry Vargo, Jan Ellickson and Bill Collins.
Balin was the founder and featured vocalist for Jefferson Airplane from 1965 to 1971. He appeared with the group during their performances at Monterey and Woodstock in 1967 and 1969, and less successfully at the disastrous Altamont Speedway concert, where he was knocked unconscious by a biker from the Hells Angels motorcycle club (this event was captured on film in the documentary Gimme Shelter).
In 1971, he departed Jefferson Airplane, recording an album under the group name Bodacious D.F. in 1973, producing an album for the group Grootna, and contributing one song, "Caroline", to Dragon Fly from Jefferson Airplane's followup group, Jefferson Starship. Marty joined Jefferson Starship permanently in 1975. In late 1978, after several major hits (including "Miracles," "With Your Love," "Count on Me," and "Runaway") with Starship, Balin left the group.
In 1979, he produced a rock opera entitled "Rock Justice," about a rock-star who was put in jail for failing to produce a hit for the record company. The cast recording, produced by Balin, but not featuring him in performance, was released on EMI America. EMI then approached him about doing a solo album of his own.
In 1981, he released his first solo album, Balin, featuring two Top 40 hits, "Hearts" and "Atlanta Lady." This was followed in 1983 by a second solo album, Lucky, along with a Japanese-only EP called There's No Shoulder. Lucky did not match the performance of Balin on the Billboard charts, and Balin's contract with EMI ended.
In 1985, he teamed up with Paul Kantner and Jack Casady to form the KBC Band. After the breakup of the KBC band, a 1989 reunion album and tour with Jefferson Airplane followed.
Balin recorded his third solo album in 1991 for GWE Records, Better Generation.
In 1993 Balin reunited with Kantner in Jefferson Starship - The Next Generation, and in 1997 he recorded a fourth solo album for Solid Discs, Freedom Flight.
As of 2008 Balin continues to perform part-time with Jefferson Starship and has contributed vocals to their upcoming album The Tree of Liberty. He is also an accomplished painter.[citation needed]
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