David Crosby, co-founder of Crosby, Stills & Nash, The Byrds, dies at 81, reports say



David Crosby, a rock icon who roseate to fame successful the 1960s arsenic a founding subordinate of each The Byrds and Crosby, Stills & Nash (later called Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young), has died. He became eighty one.

Crosby's woman Jan Dance announced his demise Thursday successful a declaration to Variety. Sources adjacent Crosby confirmed the accusation to Rolling Stone and Billboard. Dance's sister, Patricia, instructed The New York Times helium died Wednesday.

"It is with exceptional unhappiness aft a protracted infection that our loved David (Croz) Crosby has handed away," the assertion says. "He changed into lovingly surrounded by mode of his spouse and soulmate Jan and lad Django. Although he's not present with us, his humanity and benignant psyche volition support to manual and animate us.

"His bequest volition clasp to enactment connected done his mythical tune. Peace, love, and harmony to each who knew David and those helium touched. We volition permission retired him dearly."

She thanked fanatics for their love and asked for privateness "as we grieve and effort to woody with our profound loss."

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Born David Van Cortlandt Crosby on Aug. 14, 1941, in Los Angeles, Crosby honed his philharmonic talents astatine coffeehouses, play instrumentality and colleges arsenic a youngster.

“I took a process washing dishes and bussing tables wrong the coffeehouse truthful I whitethorn beryllium there, and would beg support to sing concord with the chap who was making a opus connected stage,” the two-time Rock & Roll Hall of Famer told PBS successful 2004. “That turned into the superior clip I ever got connected a level successful beforehand of humans. Of direction, I didn’t get paid, but for me, it go the ample time.”

Crosby successful little studied play astatine Santa Barbara City College, nevertheless way go his calling. By the aboriginal ’60s, helium go drifting from metropolis to city, appearing and getting to cognize from antithetic musicians, erstwhile helium crossed paths with people vocalist Roger McGuinn. The commenced participating, electronically amplifying radical tune to make a manner that could successful the extremity beryllium defined arsenic folks-rock.

They joined up with Gene Clark, Chris Hillman and Michael Clarke to signifier The Byrds, well-known for its influential sound. The band’s archetypal single, a cowl of Bob Dylan’s "Mr. Tambourine Man," changeable into the apical 10 successful 1965, sparking a originative momentum that generated hits on with "Eight Miles High," "All I Really Want To Do" and "Turn! Turn! Turn!" (with the assistance of Pete Seeger). 

Although recognised for harmonies, The Byrds suffered from discord. Crosby had an unwelcome dependancy of interrupting enactment performances with governmental rants, and the remainder of the set ousted him successful 1968.

After parting ways with The Byrds, Crosby commenced jamming with Stephen Stills of Buffalo Springfield. Graham Nash of the Hollies finished retired the supergroup that took the sanction Crosby, Stills & Nash. Their 1969 self-titled debut medium catapulted the enactment to a prime caller creator Grammy.

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The trio person go Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young whilst Neil Young joined the institution. CSNY claimed its spot successful euphony records with its show astatine Woodstock. In 1970, their songs "Ohio" (a protestation opus astir the Kent State Shootings) and "Teach Your Children" tested their anti-battle activism.

In July 2021, Crosby spoke with connected the cusp of releasing his solo album “For Free.” 

"80 isn't a fig you rejoice, darling," Crosby joked. "Being vintage isn't immoderate happening to person amusive successful popular."

Crosby, instantly recognizable for his sature mane and walrus mustache, besides meditated connected tackling mortality wrong the album's past track. His lad James Raymond, with whom helium reunited wrong the 1990s after placing him up for adoption successful 1962, wrote it.

"It’s a beauteous song, isn’t it? I’ve had a clump of buddies sanction maine weeping (once they heard it)," helium said. "He go an awesome (songwriter) erstwhile I met him, and we began penning unneurotic close away. But he’s arsenic a minimum arsenic due arsenic I am, if not higher."

Crosby had an exceedingly prolific career: 12 workplace albums with The Byrds; eight with CSN&Y, 3 arsenic Crosby & Nash; and 8 arsenic a solo creator (beginning with 1971's "If I Could Only Remember My Name").

He additionally participated successful facet initiatives including CPR – Crosby, guitarist Jeff Pevar and lad James Raymond – which existed from 1996 to 2004. His life, helium often said, became usually lived connected the street.  

Though helium stepped backmost from immoderate foremost visiting wrong the past 2 years due to the fact that of his fittingness issues, Crosby remained progressive successful signaling track.

"I omit being connected the roadworthy due to the fact that I did it for 50 years, nevertheless I bash not presume I'll bash it again," helium informed successful 2021. "Both of my palms person tendonitis ... I'm astatine eighty five% of what I utilized to do, and determination isn't immoderate you whitethorn bash astir it." 

Crosby battled a concatenation of wellness challenges, on with three bosom attacks, a liver transplant and diabetes.

He famously served arsenic a sperm donor to Melissa Etheridge and her erstwhile companion Julie Cypher. One successful their kids, lad Beckett Cypher, died successful 2020 astatine property 21 from opioid addiction.

His stellar vocation was often matched by mode of a chaotic backstage life, definite successful his 2018 documentary, "Remember My Name," directed via Cameron Crowe. Throughout the ’80s and ’90s, Crosby experienced cause addiction, weapons offenses and prison time.

In existent years, Crosby publically feuded unneurotic with his CSNY bandmates, successful peculiar Nash, for reasons helium could ne'er reveal. In his 2021  interview, Crosby go sanguine astir the information of ever repairing that relationship.

"Graham and I simply don't similar each antithetic precise a large deal," helium stated. "Human beings bash not make connected parallel paths. The origin we can't play collectively is not what radical presume it's far, nevertheless I tin not fto you cognize what it's miles. I'm present not acrophobic astir it. I'm engaged arsenic hell."

Despite his declining health, Crosby nevertheless remained engaged with way and societal problems.

A ordinary beingness connected Twitter, Crosby often interacted with enthusiasts, tweeting Wednesday approximately topics which see the apprehension of upwind activistic Greta Thunberg and his favourite Beatles opus ("Eleanor Rigby").

On Thursday, vocalist Pink advised she had simply talked to Crosby – a California neighbour – closing week astir songs helium wanted to play for her.

"He became a sincerely spiritually heavy individual. My coronary bosom is going retired to Jan," she said. "We've mislaid specified a batch of outstanding quality beings lately. It's really heartbreaking."

Contributing: Kristin McGrath,