News | Marty Balin

The family of Marty Balin is proud to announce that they will be working with the Jefferson Airplane Band members and management along with Entertainment Asset Management in Los Angeles to preserve Marty Balin’s and the Jefferson Airplane’s illustrious history.
Marty left behind a rich legacy of music and art. His life long journals will become his own Biography. His music and art will continue to paint the image of the gifted human being that he was.
We look forward to sharing future events on this site and on The official Marty Balin FB and Instagram accounts.

THE STEPPING STONES OF DESTINY

How does one possibly find the words, or the sounds, to cry out the pain and loss of the heart?
My most cherished and sacred love has left my side. While I will always have the love and laughter of our beautiful daughters, Jennifer, Delaney, Rebekah, and Moriah, and while I will live life to the fullest with them and my beloved family and friends, I will forever walk this earth alone. And that is okay, because that is my truth, and truth is a physical force.

Buck and I had a very sacred love. He was so consumed by it, as I was too. Throughout any given day, he would touch me, look into my eyes, and say that I was his angel. I would always reply, “Oh, but you are mine.” When we first met, there was a “collision of hearts.” So intentionally forced by destiny to collide, that the impact pushed two hearts into one. Almost as if there was a huge magnet in the sky with a force so powerful that it smacked us together and made us feel like nothing could ever pull us apart. And nothing ever did. We would lay in bed holding each other in disbelief of this miracle, both knowing it was the destiny that we were born to have. The fact that it took almost a lifetime to happen did not matter, because when it did happen, we were so complete, that only a number would define it as less than forever. It is for this reason, whenever anyone asked how long we were together, we both would answer, “FOREVER.”

My destiny of having lived my life so fully and deeply with my Buck by my side 24/7 up until September 27th, 2018, is as much my destiny as it is to spend the rest of my life living without him in sadness and loneliness. I will be okay.

Buck and I were both born and blessed with the gift of accepting what each day would bring, whether good or bad, always with open arms and a lightness of being. Our love for life naturally did not leave space or time to be wasted on the negative. To Buck, every second of life counted. He had a lot to create and a lot to get done. A moment wasted on small matters of a contrite nature was a crime of vast proportion. I adored Buck for this, because powerfully together, we would always have a beautiful light of positive energy around us, and we did. Even pain, loss, and suffering had no power to rock his boat even in the slightest… and this is true. Anyone who cared for my Buck over the past two years saw a man with hope, love, laughter, and even a sparkle in his eyes that was contagious. It was undeniable.

In my life with Buck, my place was to help deliver his messages of art and music as purely as possible. I was merely the deliverer of those messages… entirely, 100% him. It was a majestic dance we did together, and we both knew and cherished it.

The public part of Buck was sharing his music and living for the exchange of beautiful energy between him and his fans. But anyone who knew him well, knew him to be a very private person. In March 2016, the night that Buck ended up on life support in the ER, all I could think about was him living. I also knew that until he opened up his eyes and told me what he wanted others to know, I had to honor his privacy. This was not easy, but it was right. The moment he did open his eyes and was able to understand what he went through, he was grateful that I did not let his private health journey overshadow the music that he lived for and delivered all his life. To anyone who questions my decisions, I can only say to read this over and over again… for these decisions were all Buck’s.

Just like a painting, the separate strokes are individual and powerful in their own essence, but it is when all the strokes are together, that we see a full picture or the final story. To assume one knows the story, or ever can know the daily strokes of our “life painting” is just not possible. On both a spiritual and factual level.

After a very long and serious hospitalization, we finally arrived home and into the hands of the most amazing doctors who became my most cherished supporters in Buck’s care. Buck was very happy. Even with his challenges, the days were full, loving, and fun. Yes, things were very different, but we simply adjusted and made life beautiful again.

I know that my loss is the greatest I have ever had, but I also know that my beautiful Buck was so loved by so many of you, that you too, all walk with the same pain that I do. I honor your sadness and I love you for feeling it.

When Buck was in the hospital in March 2016, I never left his side. During those four and half months, I made the hospital room home. I brought in his radio, purple blankets, lavender oil, and pictures of Sai Baba, his mom, dad, sister, and children. I told him stories, I read him books, I massaged him, I wanted to help him feel the life that he was most familiar with as much as possible. But the most important thing that I did was pray to Rabbi Schneerson and Sai Baba.

I thank you all for your amazing messages, flowers, cards, and calls, but the one thing I thank you for most is something you would not have known unless I share it here now. You will find it within my prayer:

“Dear Sai Baba,

It is with great humility that I ask you to help my beautiful husband push out of his body all the disease, infection, and pain. So far out and away that it can not hurt me, our loved ones, or anyone else in the universe. Please help my beautiful husband build a shield around him that will keep all disease, infection, and pain away from him. Please, Sai Baba, help my husband pool together all the beautiful, healing energy that he ever put out there to his fans so that he can heal and once again give it back. I promise you that he will.

Sai Ram.”

This is where you all came in and, together, we all healed my Buck. Never forget that.

It was only a few months after we arrived home that Buck’s musicians Chuck and Lloyd started to come over and play music again. Buck could not play his guitar and his voice was changed, yet still soulful. His diction was imperfect and the sounds of the past were there in beautiful remnants. But if and when you get to hear his music from this period of time, you will undoubtably hear the iconic and familiar soul of the beautiful Marty Balin.

His life, his love, his everything, will live on forever and ever and ever.

Your Joy, Eternally Forever
_____

I stumbled upon this for the first time the other day. From his many beautiful messages of love, this one seemed most significant for me to share today:

6/1/17
Tampa, FL.
Happy as hell!
A bit sore still &
beat up & learning
to overcome it but I
still am feeling happy
& with Susan I’ve
never been happier.

With a heavy heart we share this sad news.

“Whatever happened to wishes wished on a star?” —Marty Balin

Marty Balin, the legendary founder and lead vocalist of Jefferson Airplane and hit song-writer of Jefferson Starship, passed away on September 27. His wife, Susan Joy Balin, was by his side. He was 76.

STATEMENT FROM SUSAN JOY BALIN AND FAMILY:

Marty had a historic career as Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award recipient, and platinum and gold solo artist. Balin also enjoyed painting all his life. He painted vibrant, large-scale portraits of many of the most influential musicians and good friends Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison, and Jerry Garcia, to name a few.

Marty’s fans describe him as having had a substantial impact for the better of the world: “One of the greatest voices of all time, a writer of songs that will never fade, and founder of the quintessential San Francisco band of the sixties.” His music is known for being the soundtrack to all of life’s monumental moments.

Born Martyn Jerel Buchwald in Cincinnati, Ohio, on January 30, 1942, Marty was raised in the San Francisco Bay Area by parents Joe and Jean Buchwald.

“Marty was the one who started the San Francisco scene,” says Bill Thompson, Balin’s roommate back in the mid-’60s and former manager of both the Jefferson Airplane and Jefferson Starship.

The Jefferson Airplane, initially a folk-rock venture, came to epitomize the psychedelic scene, scoring a gold record in 1967 with its second album, Surrealistic Pillow. The album was named one of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time by Rolling Stone magazine.

Balin’s soulful tenor proved a pivotal element of the group’s sound. He also wrote key compositions including “It’s No Secret” “Today,” “Comin’ Back To Me” “Plastic Fantastic Lover” “Share a Little Joke,” and “Volunteers.”

“Back in those days Marty was quite the businessman” said Paul Kantner. “He was the leader of the band on that level. He was the one who pushed us to do all the business stuff, orchestrating, thinking ahead, looking for managers and club opportunities. He was very good at it”.

At the end of 1978, after contributing several major hits including “Miracles,” “With Your Love,” “Count on Me,” and “Runaway” with Jefferson Starship, Marty left the band. In 1981, he released his first solo album, Balin , featuring two top hits , “Hearts” and “Atlanta Lady”. Marty’s solo career prove d to be as successful as his past music endeavors.

Marty is survived by his wife Susan Joy Balin, daughters Jennifer Edwards and Delaney Balin, and stepdaughters Rebekah Geier and Moriah Geier.

“Marty and I shared the deepest of love—he often called it Nirvana—and it was. But really, we were all touched by his love. His presence will be within my entire being forever.” —Susan Balin

“Daddy was daddy.” —Delaney Balin

From Folk to Acid Rock, How Marty Balin Launched the San Francisco Music Scene

Thank you Ben Marks for a great interview!
https://www.collectorsweekly.com/articles/marty-balin/

THE SUMMER OF LOVE

Check this new book out. Available on Amazon by Harvey Kubernik. Read about the MATRIX and Marty Balin’s influence on Bill Graham and the Fillmore!

Sneak Peek: Musicians Recall ‘The First Time I Heard Jerry Garcia’

Musicians Recall ‘The First Time I Heard Janis Joplin’

“We had this mansion in the Haight Ashbury area. Janis was kind of around, I met her at the mansion. We had a pool table and everybody would come over and play pool. Big Brother and her would come over and play, and the Dead, we all would play. Then when I saw her perform at the Fillmore, I was knocked out, it was amazing. I still haven’t seen anybody who could top her version of “Summertime.” I’d be standing right there on stage and it would send chills through me”.
– Marty Balin

Marty Balin recalls Paul McCartney flies to San Francisco

“The Jefferson Airplane was practicing at the original Filmore in San Fransisco in the afternoon when in walked the Beatles assistant Mal. He was in a suit and tie and very British when he said “Master Paul McCartney would like to visit with you”. I said “show him in”. He went out and came back with Paul McCartney leading the two of them back in. He was also in a suit and tie. He sat right down with us and talked a bit. Then we invited him to Jack and my apartment in the Haight Ashbury. So we went to our apartment and Jack and Jorma kept trying to get Paul to jam with them but he didn’t really want to. So he came over to my side of the apartment and we sat and started to talk. I said “so what’s up with the Beatles?”. Paul casually pulled a cassette from his pocket and said ” I happen to have a track from the new album”. I pulled out my cassette player and popped it in. Out came A DAY IN THE LIFE OF. Imagine the first time hearing that song……and I was sitting there with Paul McCartney hearing it….I was stunned and knocked off the universe. I just praised the heck out of it…and him…and the Beatles and knew that it was part of a magnificent wave of new music led by the Beatles.”
– Marty Balin

Jefferson Airplane launched the S.F. rock scene

MVD Entertainment Group Proudly Announces Label Artist MARTY BALIN, Founder Of JEFFERSON AIRPLANE, To Receive Grammy Honorable Lifetime Achievement Award

Marty’s Triad

Interview: Jefferson Airplane’s Marty Balin

Marty’s Triad

Marty Balin’s Many Incarnations

Marty Balin Interview

Old City Life, The Impact of a Lifetime

The 58th Grammy’s, Saluting Jefferson Airplane’s Crown Of Creation

Legendary Singer Songwriter Marty Balin Releases New Album

Goldmine – Marty Balin’s memories 50 years on

Jefferson Airplane’s Marty Balin remembers Paul Kantner: ‘He was one of the greats’

The Jake Feinberg Show

Goldmine – Marty Balin Feature

Click on the article below to see it larger

Marty Balin Remembers Paul Kantner

“So many memories rushing through my mind now. So many moments that he and I opened new worlds. He was the first guy I picked for the band and he was the first guy who taught me how to roll a joint. And although I know he liked to play the devil’s advocate, I am sure he has earned his wings now”. Sai Ram “Go with God”