Alexander Lee Spence, Jr. was born on April 18, 1946, in Windsor, Ontario, Canada and later moved to San Jose, California. Also known as Skip Spence, he began his music career as a guitarist in the band The Other Side before joining Jefferson Airplane as a drummer for their debut album, Jefferson Airplane Takes Off. He wrote "My Best Friend," which was released on Jefferson Airplane's second album, Surrealistic Pillow, in 1967. He later formed the band Moby Grape, the trio Pachuca, and The Rhythm Dukes ensemble. In 1969, he released his only solo album, Oar, on Columbia Records. Spence struggled with drug addiction and mental health issues, leading to a decline in his career. He died on April 16, 1999.
