Bill Thompson, manager of Jefferson Airplane, has died at the age of 70. The cause of death was heart attack, according to reports.

Thompson began managing the group in 1968, sticking with them through their name change to Jefferson Starship, and then Starship. Before Marty Balin formed Airplane, Thompson and he were roommates.

According to Vintage Vinyl News, "he was responsible for convincing RCA to allow the band to leave the label to form their own Grunt Records while staying a part of RCA's distribution business."

Thompson was born in Oklahoma City on June 22, 1944. He moved to San Francisco to attend college and eventually took a job as a copy boy for the San Francisco Chronicle.

Jefferson Starship's 2015 tour kicks off on January 16 in Belleville, Ontario.