Jefferson Airplane co-founder Marty Balin sues hospital

NEW YORK (AP) — A co-founder of Jefferson Airplane is accusing a New York City hospital of destroying his musical career with a botched tracheotomy.

A lawsuit filed by Marty Balin against Mount Sinai Beth Israel hospital says the singer and guitarist lost part of his tongue and has a paralyzed vocal cord because of the procedure done after he was hospitalized for emergency heart surgery in 2016.

The 77-year-old Balin helped form Jefferson Airplane in San Francisco in the mid-1960s. The band’s signature hits include “Somebody to Love” and “White Rabbit.”

Lawyers for Balin sued Thursday in federal court in Manhattan. The suit seeks unspecified damages.

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There was no immediate response on Friday to a message seeking comment from hospital officials.