David Crosby . . . a founding member of both the Byrds and Crosby, Stills, & Nash . . . died yesterday after a “long illness.” He was 81 years old.
Crosby was active on Twitter right up until Wednesday. One of his final Tweets was this critique on Heaven . . . quote, “I heard the place is overrated . . . cloudy.”
Crosby was with the Byrds from 1964 until 1967, when he formed CS&N with Stephen Stills and Graham Nash. They later added Neil Young to become Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young.
They broke up in the ’70s, but would reform in various combinations over the years . . . despite not always getting along.
In a statement, Graham Nash noted that their relationship was volatile, but he added, quote, “What has always mattered to David and me more than anything was the pure joy of the music we created together . . .
“The sound we discovered with one another, and the deep friendship we shared over all these many long years.”
Crosby famously spent five months in prison in 1986 on drug and weapons charges . . . and received a liver transplant in 1994 after years of drug and alcohol abuse.
Crosby is a two-time inductee in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, with both the Byrds and C,S&N.
He was also the producer of . . . Melissa Etheridge’s children. (???) In 2000, she revealed the Crosby was the DONOR for her two kids with then-partner Julie Cypher. One of them died in 2020 due to drug addiction, at the age of 21.
In addition to the other child he fathered for Melissa, Crosby is survived by his wife, two sons, and two daughters.
Here are David Crosby’s Top Nine Songs he was a part of with The Byrds, CRS&N, CSN and Solo.
9. Eight Miles High – The Birds
8. Suite Judy Blue Eyes, CSN
7. Teach Your Children, CSN&Y
6. Southern Cross, CSN
5. Woodstock. CSN&Y
4. Just a Song Before I Go, CSN
3. Wasted On The Way, CSN
2. Mr. Tambourine Man, The Byrds
- And Now Number ONE! Turn! Turn! Turn!