David Crosby Passes Away at 81

Last Updated on 01/21/2023 by てんしょく飯

David Crosby, founding member of The Byrds and Crosby, Stills & Nash, has died. He was 81 years old.

David Crosby’s wife issued a statement announcing his passing. ‘It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved David Crosby after a long illness.

I don’t know what to say other than I’m heartbroken to hear about David Crosby. David was an unbelievable talent – such a great singer and songwriter. And a wonderful person. I just am at a loss for words. Love & Mercy to David’s family and friends. Love, Brian pic.twitter.com/Hjht7LeGiv

— Brian Wilson (@BrianWilsonLive) January 19, 2023

He was tenderly surrounded by his wife and soul mate Jan and son Django. He is no longer with us, but his humanity and kindness will continue to guide and inspire us. His glory will live on through his legendary music.”

His wife continues, “David was a great friend to those who knew him and those who were touched by him. His wife continues, “Peace, love, and harmony to all who knew David and to those he touched. We will miss him dearly. We are grieving and trying to come to terms with our profound loss, so we ask for your privacy. Thank you all for your love and prayers.”

David Crosby formed The Byrds with Roger McGinn, Gene Clark, Chris Hillman, and Michael Clark in 1964 after working with Les Baxter’s Varadiers and others. His tenure with the band was short-lived, and he left the band in 1967.

However, during that time, he went through a period from the early days of The Beatles’ influence to a period of psychedelia, and released four albums until 1967’s “Younger Than Yesterday”. David Crosby left the band in the middle of the recording process, and he also participated in the fifth album in total, “The Famous Bird Brothers”.

David Crosby also produced The Byrds’ last album, “The Original Byrds,” released in 1973.

After leaving The Byrds, David Crosby formed Crosby, Stills & Nash with Stephen Stills of Buffalo Springfield and Graham Nash of The Hollies. Their second show was at the 1969 Woodstock Festival, where they often performed with Neil Young, who would later add his name to the band’s name.

Including the Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young name, Crosby, Stills & Nash released eight albums, including “Deja Vu,” released in 1970, and their last album, “Looking Forward,” in 1999.

Outside of that, David Crosby and Graham Nash have also collaborated, releasing the album “Graham Nash/David Crosby” in 1972, and the two have released albums together since then.

David Crosby and Graham Nash also worked together as harmony vocalists in the 1970s, including work with Stephen Stills and Neil Young. They also performed on Joni Mitchell’s “Free Man in Paris,” James Taylor’s “Mexico,” and Jackson Browne’s “The Pretender.

David Crosby has also had an illustrious solo career, with his 1971 solo debut album, If I Could Only Remember My Name, a Top 20 hit in the U.S. In 2014, he returned to the top of the charts with Crosses, which reached the U.S. Top 40. He returned to the top of the charts and in 2021 released his latest album, For Free, with artwork by Joan Baez.

In 2019, the documentary “David Crosby: Remember My Name” will be released, which was directed by Cameron Crowe, former journalist for Rolling Stone magazine and director of the film “That Time With Penny Lane,” and was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Music It was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Music Film.

David Crosby has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice, in 1991 with The Byrds and in 1997 with Crosby, Stills & Nash.

Outside of music, David Crosby is also an actor and has appeared on television shows such as “The John Larroquette Show,” “Roseanne,” and “Ellen. He has also appeared in films such as “Hook” and “Backdraft,” and in 1992 he played a bartender in the new western “Thunderheart. David Crosby has also appeared twice on “The Simpsons” in his own voice roles.

David Crosby is also known for his political activism, opposing U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War and criticizing the Donald Trump administration. He said, “I feel like an 8-year-old kid who’s never been in his father’s office. He’s breaking all kinds of stuff, pissing on papers, running around like crazy with his cock out. And he’s saying, ‘I’m going to show you something,'” he told Rolling Stone magazine in 2020.

“That’s not sane. And he’s much more dangerous than Nixon. Because he has a huge ego and was raised by a monster. His father must be one of the most hair-raising people you can meet. He’s showing signs of it.”

Upon the release of For Free in 2021, David Crosby told NME that making music in the 1980s “kept me alive. My life is centered around two things: my family and my music. My family and my music. It’s a miracle that at my age I still have a chance to make more music. I never thought I would live past 30.

Considering all I’ve been through, all the mistakes I’ve made, all the time I’ve wasted, all the problems I’ve had, I’m amazed I’m still alive. My head is clear, I’m happy, I’m working, my family is working. And I made a good album. And I’m surprised by that, and very happy.”

As for the future, David Crosby said that while the shows are “done,” he would “like to make two more albums. It’s important to me. I love making music, it’s what I love most, and I want to do one with James Taylor and another one with The Lighthouse Band. I’ve already started writing some songs.”

The news of his death has been met with mourning from the music world, with Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys tweeting the following. I don’t know what to say except that I am heartbroken to hear about David Crosby. David was an incredible talent. He was a wonderful singer and songwriter. He was a wonderful person. I am at a loss for words. Love and mercy to David’s family and friends.”