Jefferson Airplane drummer Joey Covington killed in car crash

Jefferson Airplane drummer Joey Covington was killed in a single-car crash in Palm Springs on Tuesday afternoon, officials said.

Covington, 67, a Palm Springs resident, was driving alone when his coupe left the road at a curve in South Belardo Road and crashed head-on into a retaining wall. He was not wearing a seat belt, according to the Riverside County coroner.

The Desert Sun newspaper in Palm Springs reported that a guest at a nearby motel tried unsuccessfully to resuscitate Covington. He was pronounced dead at 5:10 p.m. Police don’t believe alcohol or drugs were involved.

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A friend of the drummer -- Keith McCormick, owner of McCormick’s Classic Car Auctions -- told the Desert Sun that Covington’s wife suspects he suffered a stroke or heart attack prior to the crash.

Jefferson Airplane was an influential band from the psychedelic 1960s known for songs such as “Somebody to Love” and “White Rabbit.” He was also a member of Jefferson Airplane successor Jefferson Starship and a member of the rock-blues band Hot Tuna.

[For the record, 4:25 p.m. June 6: An earlier version of this post incorrectly described Covington as a founding member of Hot Tuna. He joined the group after it was formed.]

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