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David Crosby, a rock icon who rose to fame in the 1960s as a founding member of The Byrds and Crosby, Stills & Nash (later known as Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young), has died. He was 81 years old.
Crosby’s wife, Jan Dance, announced his death Thursday in a statement to Variety. Sources close to Crosby confirmed the news to Rolling Stone Y Billboard. Patricia, Dance’s sister, said The New York Times he died on wednesday.
“It is with great sadness, after a long illness, our beloved David (Croz) Crosby has passed away,” the statement read. “He was lovingly surrounded by his wife and soul mate Jan and his son Django. Although he is no longer here with us, his humanity and kind soul will continue to guide and inspire us.”
“His legacy will live on through his legendary music. Peace, love and harmony to all who knew David and those he touched. He will be greatly missed.”
He thanked fans for their love and asked for privacy “as we grieve and try to deal with our profound loss.”
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Born David Van Cortlandt Crosby on August 14, 1941, in Los Angeles, Crosby honed his musical skills in coffeehouses, clubs, and colleges as a teenager.
“I took a job washing dishes and cleaning tables in the cafeteria so I could be there, and I would ask permission to sing harmony with the guy who sang onstage,” the two-time Rock & Roll Hall of Famer told PBS in 2004. “That was the first time I got on stage in front of people. Of course, they didn’t pay me, but for me, it was the big moment.”
Crosby studied theater briefly at Santa Barbara City College, but music was his calling. In the early ’60s, he was going from town to town, playing and learning from other musicians, when he came across folk singer Roger McGuinn. The two began to collaborate, electronically amplifying folk music to create a style that would eventually be defined as folk-rock.
They joined Gene Clark, Chris Hillman and Michael Clarke to form The Byrds, famous for their influential sound. The band’s first single, a cover of Bob Dylan’s “Mr. Tambourine Man,” hit the top 10 in 1965, sparking a creative impulse that spawned hits like “Eight Miles High,” “All I Really Want To Do and “Spin! Spin! Spin! (by Pete Seeger).
Although known for harmonies, The Byrds suffered from discord. Crosby had a nasty habit of interrupting live performances with political rants, and the rest of the band kicked him out in 1968.
After parting ways with The Byrds, Crosby began playing with Buffalo Springfield’s Stephen Stills. Graham Nash of the Hollies completed the supergroup that took the name Crosby, Stills & Nash. Their 1969 self-titled debut album catapulted the group to a Grammy for Best New Artist.
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The trio became Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young when Neil Young joined the group. CSNY claimed their place in music history with their performance at Woodstock. In 1970, his songs “Ohio” (a protest song about the Kent State shootings) and “Teach Your Children” demonstrated his anti-war activism.
In July 2021, Crosby spoke to USA TODAY about the release of his solo album “For Free.”
“80 is not a number you celebrate, dear,” Crosby quipped. “Being old is not something to celebrate in general.”
Instantly recognizable for his trademark walrus mane and mustache, Crosby also pondered approaching mortality on the album’s final track. He wrote it for his son James Raymond, whom he reunited with in the 1990s after giving him up for adoption in 1962.
“It’s a beautiful song, isn’t it? Many friends have called me crying (after hearing it),” he said. “He was a good (songwriter) when I met him, and we started writing together right away. But he’s at least as good as me, if not better.”
Crosby had an extremely prolific career: 12 studio albums with The Byrds; eight with CSN&Y, three as Crosby & Nash; and eight as a solo artist (beginning with 1971’s “If I Could Only Remember My Name”).
He was also involved in side projects such as CPR, Crosby, guitarist Jeff Pevar, and his son James Raymond, which existed from 1996 to 2004. His life, he often said, was lived mostly on the road.
Although he has walked away from any major touring in the past two years due to health issues, Crosby has remained active in recording music.
“I miss touring because I did it for 50 years, but I don’t think I’ll ever do it again,” he told USA TODAY in 2021. “Both my hands have tendonitis… I’m at 85% of what I used to do, and I’m not There’s nothing you can do about it.”
Crosby battled a series of health challenges, including three heart attacks, a liver transplant, and diabetes.
He served as a sperm donor for Melissa Etheridge and her ex-partner Julie Cypher. One of his two sons, Beckett Cypher, died in 2020 at the age of 21 from opioid addiction.
His stellar career often coincided with a chaotic personal life, detailed in his 2018 documentary, “Remember My Name,” directed by Cameron Crowe. Throughout the ’80s and ’90s, Crosby experienced drug addiction, gun-related crime, and prison time.
In recent years, Crosby has feuded publicly with his CSNY bandmates, especially Nash, for reasons he would never reveal. In his 2021 interview with USA TODAY, Crosby was optimistic about the reality of ever mending that relationship.
“Graham and I just don’t like each other very much,” he said. “Human beings don’t grow on parallel paths. The reason we can’t play together isn’t what people think, but I can’t tell you what it is. I’m not worried about that. I’m busy.” as hell.”
Despite his declining health, Crosby remained committed to music and social issues.
A regular presence on Twitter, Crosby often interacted with fans, tweeting Wednesday about topics including the arrest of climate activist Greta Thunberg and her favorite Beatles song (“Eleanor Rigby”).
On Thursday, singer Pink told USA TODAY that she had just talked to Crosby, a California neighbor, last week about the songs she wanted to play for her.
“He was a really deep person spiritually. My heart goes out to Jan,” he said. “We’ve lost so many great people lately. He’s really heartbreaking.”
Contribution: Kristin McGrath, USA TODAY
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