Martyn Jerel Buchwald (/ˈbælɪn/; January 30, 1942 – September 27, 2018), most known by his stage name Marty Balin, was an American singer, songwriter, and musician best known as the founder and one of the lead singers and songwriters of Jefferson Airplane and Jefferson Starship.

Balin was born Martyn Jerel Buchwald in Cincinnati, Ohio, the son of Catherine Eugenia “Jean” (née Talbot) and Joseph Buchwald. His paternal grandparents emigrated from Eastern Europe. His father was Jewish and his mother was Episcopalian.^{[citation needed]} Buchwald attended Washington High School in San Francisco, California