Jefferson Airplane founding member Paul Kantner dies at 74

Paul Kantner, a founding member of the band Jefferson Airplane and an icon of the San Francisco music scene, died Thursday, days after having a heart attack. He was 74.

The guitarist's publicist and friend, Cynthia Bowman, said Kantner died of multiple organ failure and septic shock, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. Born March 17, 1941, in San Francisco, Kantner attended Santa Clara University and San Jose State College, then left to pursue music.

Jefferson Airplane was formed in 1965 at a bar in San Francisco, and is known for hits like "Somebody to Love" and "White Rabbit." In 1974, the band morphed into Jefferson Starship, named after a solo album by Kantner. He left the band in 1985, and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996. He is survived by sons Gareth and Alexander and daughter China.

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