Former Jefferson Airplane Drummer Joey Covington Killed In Car Crash
PALM SPRINGS (CBS/AP) -- Former Jefferson Airplane drummer Joey Covington has died in a Palm Springs car crash, officials confirmed Wednesday.
A Riverside County coroner's report said the 67-year-old Palm Springs resident wasn't wearing a seat belt when his car hit a retaining wall on South Belardo Road about 5 p.m. Tuesday. He died at the scene.
Police don't believe alcohol or drugs were involved.
A friend, Keith McCormick, said that Covington's wife, Lauren, suspected he had a stroke or heart attack before the accident.
Covington replaced Spencer Dryden as the drummer for the San Francisco rock group from 1970-72. Before that, he was with the Airplane offshoot Hot Tuna and played congas on the 1969 Airplane album "Volunteers."
Covington co-wrote several Airplane songs, including "Pretty as You Feel" and the 1976 tune "With Your Love."
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