Former Jefferson Airplane drummer Covington dies in car crash

Former Jefferson Airplane drummer Joey Covington has died in a Palm Springs car crash.

A Riverside County coroner's report says the 67-year-old Palm Springs resident wasn't wearing a seat belt when his car hit a retaining wall at about 5pm local time Tuesday. He died at the scene.

The Palm Springs Desert Sun (mydesert.co/111xyfm ) says police don't believe alcohol or drugs were involved.

A friend, Keith McCormick, tells the paper that Covington's wife, Lauren, suspects he had a stroke or heart attack before the accident.

Covington replaced Spencer Dryden as the Airplane's drummer from 1970 to 1972. 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 With Your Love.