Paul Kantner, founding member of Jefferson Airplane who want to more commercial success with Jefferson Airplane died Thursday, Jan. 28, of multiple organ failure. Kantner, was 74 and had suffered a heart attack earlier this week.
With Jefferson Airplane, Kantner, who was frequently wearing a headband, pioneered what became known as the San Francisco sound in the mid-1960s, with such hits as “Somebody to Love” and “White Rabbit.” Although the band was originally formed by Marty Balin, Kantner eventually became the leader of Jefferson Airplane and captained the group through various successor incarnations of Jefferson Starship. Kantner has the longest continuous membership with the band; at times he was the only founding member still in the band from the original Jefferson Airplane lineup. Check Kantner from this past summer playing with a new incarnation of Jefferson Starship.
