David Crosby, the legendary singer-songwriter and founding member of the Byrds and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, has died, a supply near the musician confirmed Thursday. He was 81.
Crosby, a two-time Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee, died after an extended sickness, his spouse mentioned in a press release to Variety.
“He was lovingly surrounded by his wife and soulmate Jan and son Django,” she informed the outlet. “Although he is no longer here with us, his humanity and kind soul will continue to guide and inspire us. His legacy will continue to live on through his legendary music.”
In a Facebook submit, former bandmate Graham Nash recalled the give attention to their sometimes-volatile relationship — Crosby lashed out at him publicly as lately as two years in the past in an interview with The Guardian — however he mentioned the “pure joy” of constructing music with Crosby was what mattered most.
“David was fearless in life and in music,” Nash mentioned. “He leaves behind a tremendous void as far as sheer personality and talent in this world. He spoke his mind, his heart and his passion through his beautiful music and leaves an incredible legacy. These are the things that matter most.”
Another former band member, Stephen Stills, additionally recalled the instances he and Crosby butted heads, saying in a press release from his supervisor that such battle left them “numb skulls.”
“I was happy to be at peace with him,” he mentioned. “He was without question a giant of a musician, and his harmonic sensibilities were nothing short of genius.”
Crosby’s remaining launch, “Live at the Capitol Theater,” got here out final month. In an interview with the location ultimateclassicrock.com, he described the efficiency captured within the recording as “magical.”
Crosby, who was born in Los Angeles, joined the Byrds in 1964. They scored their first hit with Bob Dylan’s “Mr. Tambourine Man.”
Crosby, Stills & Nash — later often called Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young when Neil Young joined — was based in 1968, the 12 months after Crosby left the Byrds. The band went on to launch a sequence of hits with “Marrakesh Express,” “Just a Song Before I Go,” “Woodstock” and others.
The band’s album “Looking Forward” was launched in 1999.
Crosby was inducted to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame twice — as soon as in 1991 with the Byrds and once more six years later with Crosby, Stills & Nash.
In final month’s interview, he mentioned he was not touring due to tendinitis in each fingers.
Crosby underwent a liver transplant in 1994 after many years of drug use and survived diabetes, hepatitis C and coronary heart surgical procedure in his 70s.
Previous drug use left him bloated, broke and alienated. He kicked the habit in 1985 and 1986 throughout a 12 months’s jail stretch in Texas on drug and weapons prices. The conviction finally was overturned.
“I’ve always said that I picked up the guitar as a shortcut to sex and after my first joint I was sure that if everyone smoked dope there’d be an end to war,” Crosby mentioned in his 1988 autobiography, “Long Time Gone,” co-written with Carl Gottlieb. “I was right about the sex. I was wrong when it came to drugs.”
He lived years longer than even he anticipated, and in his 70s he loved a artistic renaissance, issuing a number of solo albums whereas collaborating with others, together with his son James Raymond, who turned a favourite songwriting companion.
“Most guys my age would have done a covers record or duets on old material,” he informed Rolling Stone in 2013, shortly earlier than “Croz” was launched. “This won’t be a huge hit. It’ll probably sell nineteen copies. I don’t think kids are gonna dig it, but I’m not making it for them. I’m making it for me. I have this stuff that I need to get off my chest.”
Crosby married longtime girlfriend Jan Dance in 1987. The couple had a son, Django, in 1995. Crosby additionally had a daughter, Donovan, with Debbie Donovan. Shortly after he underwent the liver transplant, Crosby was reunited with Raymond, who had been positioned for adoption in 1961. Raymond, Crosby and Jeff Pevar later carried out collectively in a gaggle known as CPR.
“I regretted losing him many times,” Crosby informed The Associated Press of Raymond in 1998. “I was too immature to parent anybody, and too irresponsible.”
In 2000, Melissa Etheridge revealed that Crosby was the daddy of the 2 youngsters she shared with then-partner, Julie Cypher. Cypher carried the kids Crosby fathered by synthetic insemination, Etheridge informed Rolling Stone. One son, Beckett, died in 2020.
Crosby did not assist increase the kids. “If, you know, in due time, at a distance, they’re proud of who their genetic dad is, that’s great,” he mentioned.