Rock icon David Crosby, who rose to fame in the 1960s as a founding member of The Byrds and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Nash (later known as Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young), has died. he was 81 years old.
Crosby’s wife Jean Dance announced his death on Thursday. varietyA source close to Crosby confirmed the news rolling stone When billboardDancing sister, Patricia said new york times he died on wednesday
“It is with great sadness that we have lost our beloved David (Croz) Crosby after a long illness,” the statement said. He is no longer here, but his humanity and kind soul continue to guide and inspire us.
“His legacy lives on through his legendary music. Peace, love and harmony to all who knew David and to those he touched. We will miss him dearly.” am.”
She thanked her fans for their love and asked for privacy, saying, “We are grieving and trying to deal with a deep loss.”
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Born David Van Cortland Crosby on August 14, 1941 in Los Angeles, Crosby honed his musical skills in coffeehouses, clubs and college as a teenager.
“I got a job washing dishes in a coffee shop, bussing tables so I could be there, and asked permission to sing harmonies with the guy who was singing on stage,” said the two-time rocker. The Hall of Famer told PBS in 2004..”It was my first time on stage in public. it was a big time”
Crosby briefly studied acting at Santa Barbara City College, but music was his calling. By the early ’60s, he was drifting from city to city, performing, learning from other musicians, folk and his singer Roger he met McGuinn. The two began collaborating, electronically amplifying folk music to create a style that would eventually be defined as folk rock.
They joined Gene Clarke, Chris Hillman and Michael Clarke to form The Byrds, renowned for their influential sound. The band’s first single, a cover of Bob Dylan’s “Mr. Tambourine Man,” entered the Top 10 in 1965, followed by “Eight Miles High,” “All I Really Want To Do.” ”, “Turn! Turn! Turn!” (by Pete Seeger).
The Byrds were known for their harmony, but suffered from discord. Crosby had an unwelcome habit of interrupting live performances with political rants, and the rest of the band banished him in 1968.
After parting ways with The Byrds, Crosby began jamming with Stephen Stills of Buffalo Springfield. Graham Nash of The Hollies completed a supergroup named Crosby, Stills & Nash. 1969’s Self-titled debut his album catapulted the group to a Grammy Award for best newcomer.
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When Neil Young joined the group, the trio became Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. CSNY made its mark in music history with their performance at Woodstock. In 1970, their songs “Ohio” (protest against the Kent shootings) and “Teach Your Children” demonstrated their anti-war activism.
In July 2021, Crosby told USA TODAY that he was about to release his solo album “For Free.”
“Darling, 80 is not a number you celebrate,” joked Crosby. “Getting older is generally not something to celebrate.”
Instantly recognizable by his signature mane and walrus mustache, Crosby also reflects on his approach to death on the album’s final track. It was written by his son James Raymond, whom he reunited with in the 1990s after putting him up for adoption in 1962.
“That’s a beautiful song, isn’t it? I had a lot of friends call me crying (after they heard it),” he said. We started writing songs together right away, but he was at least as good as me, no more.”
Crosby had a very prolific career. Her twelve studio albums with the Byrds. Eight at CSN&Y, three at Crosby & Nash. Eight as a solo artist (beginning with 1971’s “If I Could Only Remember My Name”).
He also participated in side projects such as CPR (Crosby, guitarist Jeff Pever and son James Raymond), which existed from 1996 to 2004.
Crosby withdrew from major tours over the past two years due to health reasons, but remained active in recording music.
In 2021, he told USA TODAY, “I’ve done it for 50 years and I miss being on the road, but I don’t think I’ll ever do it again. 85% of what I used to do and what you can do is nothing.”
Crosby battled a string of health problems, including three heart attacks, a liver transplant, and diabetes.
He famously served as a sperm donor for Melissa Etheridge and her ex-partner Julie Cypher. One of his two children, son Beckett, his Cypher, died in 2020 at the age of 21 from opioid addiction.
His illustrious career has often coincided with a chaotic personal life, detailed in Cameron Crowe’s 2018 documentary Remember My Name. Throughout the ’80s and his ’90s, Crosby experienced drug addiction, weapons crimes, and life in prison.
In recent years, Crosby has publicly feuded with his CSNY bandmates, especially Nash, but never explained why. In his USA TODAY interview in 2021, Crosby was optimistic about the reality of mending that relationship.
“Graham and I don’t really like each other,” he said. I can’t tell you, I don’t care, I’m busy.” Like hell.
Despite his deteriorating health, Crosby remained committed to music and social issues.
Crosby, who regularly appears on Twitter, frequently interacted with fans on Wednesday, tweeting about topics such as the arrest of climate activist Greta Thunberg and his favorite Beatles song (“Eleanor Rigby”). .
On Thursday, singer Pink told USA TODAY that she just spoke with her California neighbor Crosby last week about a song he’d like to play for her.
“He was a really deep person. My heart goes out to Jan,” she said. That’s it.”
By: Kristin McGrath, USA TODAY
