David Crosby, the legendary singer-songwriter and founding member of the Byrds and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, has died, a source close to the musician confirmed on Thursday. He was 81 years old.
Crosby, a two-time Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, died after a long illness, his wife said in a statement to Variety.
“He was surrounded by love by his wife and partner Jan and son Django,” she told the outlet. “Although he is no longer with us, his humanity and kind spirit will continue to guide and inspire us. His legacy will live on through his great music.”
In a Facebook post, former bandmate Graham Nash recalled the focus on their sometimes-volatile relationship — Crosby has publicly gushed about him, as recently as two years ago in an interview with The Guardian — but he said that the “pure joy” of making music was what was most important to Crosby.
“David was fearless in life and in music. 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. My heart is truly with his wife, Jan, his son, Django, and all of the people he has touched in this world.”
Another former member of the band, Stephen Stills, also recalled the time when he and Crosby split, telling their manager in a statement that the conflict had left him with a “numb skull”.
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“I was happy to be at peace with him,” he said. “He was without question a giant of a musician, and his harmonic sensibilities were nothing short of genius.”
Crosby’s final release, “Live at the Capitol Theater,” came out last month. In an interview with the site ultimateclassicrock.com, he described the performance captured in the recording as “magical.”
The cause of death of David Crosby has not been revealed
Crosby, who was born in Los Angeles, joined the Byrds in 1964. He sang Bob Dylan’s “Mr. Tambourine Man.”
Crosby, Stills & Nash – later known as Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young when Neil Young joined – was founded in 1968, a year after Crosby left the Byrds. The band released a string of hits with “Marrakesh Express,” “Just a Song Before I Go,” “Woodstock” and others.
The band’s album “Looking Forward” was released in 1999.
Crosby was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice – once in 1991 with the Byrds and again six years later with Crosby, Stills, and Nash.
In an interview last month, he said he was no longer touring because of tendinitis in both hands.
David Crosby underwent a liver transplant in 1994 after decades of drug use and survived diabetes, hepatitis C, and heart surgery in the 70s.
Past drug use left him bloated, broke, and isolated. He served one-year prison terms in Texas in 1985 and 1986 on drug and weapons charges. The conviction was eventually 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 said 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 longer than expected, and in his 70s he enjoyed a creative renaissance, releasing several solo albums while collaborating with others, including his son James Raymond, who became a favorite songwriting partner.
“Most guys my age would have done a covers record or duets on old material,” he told Rolling Stone in 2013, shortly before “Croz” was released. “It’s not going to be a big hit. It’ll probably sell nineteen copies. I don’t think the kids are going to 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.”
David Crosby married his longtime girlfriend Jan Dance in 1987. The couple had a son, Django, in 1995. Crosby also had a daughter Donovan with Debbie Donovan. Shortly after receiving a liver transplant, Crosby was reunited with Raymond, who had been placed for adoption in 1961. Raymond, Crosby, and Jeff Pevar later performed together in a group called CPR.
