Jefferson Airplane Drummer Killed in Car Accident

Joey Covington, who played drums for Jefferson Airplane and helped to create Hot Tuna has died at the age of 67. He passed away on June 4 following a car crash in Palm Springs.

According to news reports, Covington - who was alone in a Honda Civic "slammed head on into a wall near a curve" around 5 p.m. He was declared dead at the scene, and police are investigating the cause of the crash. Riverside County coroner's report says Covington was not wearing a seat belt at the time.

Covington's vehicle reportedly hit the wall with such force that it went flying onto an elevated driveway several feet above the crash site, where a nearby motel guest tried to resuscitate the musician. A close friend of Covington, told a local newspaper that the drummer's wife believes a heart attack or stroke caused him to drive off the road.

Covington was the drummer for Jefferson airplane in the late 1960’s and became one of the original members of Hot Tuna, taking Jack Cassidy and Jorma Kaukonen along for the ride. This group formed while Singer Grace Slick was recuperating from surgery and the group was unable to tour. While he was generally unheard from after he left the Airplane, his name did surface on Jefferson Starship's hit 1976 single 'With Your Love.' He toured as a member of the San Francisco Allstars in the '80s and '90s.