Background

Тhіѕ lеgеndаrу muѕісіаn wаѕ bоrn іn Lоѕ Аngеlеѕ, Саlіfоrnіа. Ніѕ fаthеr wаѕ Flоуd Сrоѕbу, whо wоn thе асаdеmу аwаrd fоr сіnеmаtоgrарhу. Ніѕ mоthеr Aliph Van Cortlandt Whitehead bеlоngеd tо thе fаmоuѕ Vаn Соrtlаndt fаmіlу.

Education

David Crosby сhаngеd mаnу ѕсhооlѕ. Не wеnt tо dіffеrеnt ѕсhооlѕ lіkе Unіvеrѕіtу Еlеmеntаrу Ѕсhооl, Lаgunа Вlаnса Ѕсhооl, аnd Сrаnе Соuntrу Dау Ѕсhооl.

Аt Сrаnе Соuntrу Dау Ѕсhооl, hе реrfоrmеd іn mаnу muѕісаlѕ. Іn 1960 hіѕ раrеntѕ gоt dіvоrсеd, аnd hіѕ fаthеr mаrrіеd аgаіn. Аt Ѕаntа Ваrbаrа Сіtу Соllеgе, Сrоѕbу ѕtudіеd drаmа. Lаtеr hе јоіnеd thе trоор оf а blасk ѕіngеr nаmеd Теrrу Саllіеr іn Сhісаgо. Рrоduсеr Јіm Dісkѕоn hеlреd hіm tо rесоrd hіѕ fіrѕt ѕоlо.

Career

Under the auspices of producer Jim Dickson, Crosby cut his first solo session in late 1963; early the following year he formed the Jet Set with Jim McGuinn and Gene Clark, and with the additions of bassist Chris Hillman and drummer Michael Clarke, the group was rechristened the Byrds. Although McGuinn chiefly pioneered the Byrds' trademark 12-string guitar sound, Crosby was the architect of their shimmering harmonies; his interests in jazz and Indian music also influenced their subsequent excursions into psychedelic. However, creative differences plagued the group throughout its career, and in 1967 Crosby - reportedly rankled by his bandmates' refusal to release his menage a trois opus "Triad" - left the Byrds in the wake of their appearance at the Monterey Pop Festival.

After producing Joni Mitchell's 1968 debut LP, Crosby cut a handful of solo recordings and began jamming with ex-Buffalo Springfield singer/guitarist Stephen Stills. In time the duo was joined by ex-Hollies member Graham Nash; with its exquisitely beautiful three-part harmonies, strong individual songwriting contributions, and graceful folk-rock sound, Crosby, Stills & Nash's 1969 debut LP proved a pop landmark, launching all three members to greater fame than they'd experienced in any of their previous projects. The addition of Stills' former Buffalo Springfield bandmate Neil Young expanded the group to a four-piece, and in August of 1969 Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young (CSNY) made just their second live appearance to date at the Woodstock Festival; 1970's Deja Vu arrived in stores with advance orders numbering over two million, and through the thought-provoking social and political messages of songs like "Woodstock" and "Ohio," they emerged as generational torchbearers of enormous musical and cultural influence.

Following a sellout CSNY tour, the group went on hiatus, and Crosby resumed work on his long-delayed solo debut, releasing If I Could Only Remember My Name in 1971; the following year, he and Nash issued the first of several duo efforts, and he also took part in a short-lived Byrds reunion. Despite continued creative differences, CSNY reformed for a 1974 tour; Crosby and Nash issued Wind on the Water a year later, and in 1977 Stills returned to the fold for the multi-platinum CSN. However, as Crosby's longstanding drug problem continued to worsen, he eventually fell out with both Stills and Nash, and a planned second solo album, Might as Well Have a Good Time, was rejected by Capitol in 1980. A series of arrests for cocaine possession and illegal weapons charges hampered him throughout the years to follow, even as he reunited with Stills and Nash in 1982 for the Top Ten hit Daylight Again. After completing the follow-up, 1983's Allies, the trio did not record together for another seven years.

In late 1985 Crosby was sentenced to prison after fleeing the drug rehabilitation clinic he'd entered in lieu of serving out a previous jail term; upon his release the following August, he'd finally conquered his demons, later chronicling the ugly details of his addiction in the fine autobiography Long Time Gone. In 1988 - a full 18 years after the release of Deja Vu - Crosby reunited with Stills, Nash, and also Young for American Dream; his second solo effort, Oh Yes I Can, finally appeared the following year as well. After the 1990 release of CSN's Live It Up, Crosby continued to suffer personal misfortunes - first he was severely injured in a motorcycle accident, and then in 1994 he lost his L.A. home as a result of massive earthquake damage. Months later, he returned to the headlines when it was announced he was diagnosed with hepatitis C and dying of liver failure, undergoing a successful organ transplant in 1995.

During the recovery period which followed, Crosby met James Raymond, the son he'd given up for adoption over three decades earlier and a professional musician as well; the two soon began writing songs together, and with guitarist Jeff Pevar they formed CPR, releasing a series of albums and touring regularly. In early 1997, Crosby, Stills & Nash were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Hame; six years earlier, Crosby had first entered the Hall as a member of the Byrds. Young returned to the fold for 1999's Looking Forward, with the resulting millennial tour - dubbed "CSNY2K" - heralding the foursome's first joint road venture in a quarter century.

Achievements

• 

  David Crosby has won several awards and accolades in his career. In 1969, he won the Grammy Award for Best New Artist for Crosby, Stills and Nash. Crosby has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice; once for his work in The Byrds (1961) and once for his work with CSN (1969).

Works

More photos

• music

  • Crosby & Nash by Crosby & Nash on Amazon Music - Amazon.com

    (Check out Crosby & Nash by Crosby & Nash on Amazon Music....)

    2004
  • If I Could Only Remember My Name 1971
  • Oh Yes I Can 1989
  • A Thousand Roads 1993
  • Croz 2014
  • Lighthouse 2016
  • Sky Trails 2017
  • Here If You Listen 2018
  • Crosby, Stills & Nash 1969
  • Déjà Vu 1970
  • CSN 1977
  • Daylight Again 1982
  • American Dream 1988
  • Live It Up 1990
  • After The Storm 1994
  • Looking Forward 1999
  • Mr. Tambourine Man 1965
  • Turn! Turn! Turn! 1965
  • Fifth Dimension 1966
  • Younger Than Yesterday 1967
  • The Notorious Byrd Brothers 1968
  • Sweetheart Of The Rodeo 1968
  • Dr. Byrds And Mr. Hyde 1969
  • Ballad Of Easy Rider 1969
  • (Untitled) 1970
  • Byrdmaniax 1971
  • Farther Along 1971
  • Byrds 1973
  • Graham Nash & David Crosby 1972
  • Wind On The Water 1975
  • Whistling Down The Wire 1976

Religion

When David Crosby was asked on his Twitter if is there a political/philosophical/personal belief from your youth that he’s since rejected, he said "Religion". And when he was asked why, he claimed: "Generally, historically religion has been a force for divisiveness, and destruction."

Politics

David Crosby has been politically active throughout all his career. CSNY's spellbinding harmonies confronted political and social issues, and are synonymous with the hippie movement of the ’60s and ’70s.

Crosby said about Donald Trump: "What a wretched person. The worst kind of landlord; and a racist. He's done a lot of really bad stuff." He also said, that he don’t even want Trump supporters to attend David Crosby concerts. "I have a very low opinion of politicians," - he said.

He once claimed: "Corruption’s endemic in politics. There are exceptions. The law of averages – the law I respect the most – tells me there are occasional politicians who are honest and trying to serve the people that elected them, but most are blatantly corrupt. They’re pretty scummy people."

Views

Crosby reports that one of the best tips he ever got came from "Woodstock" author Joni Mitchell, who complimented his songwriting and ordered him to "write your s--- down!" Crosby, who primarily composes on guitar, says he learned "if you get even two words in a row that mean something, that make you feel something, you should write them down."

Quotations: "Music helps things; it makes things better. Just like war drags down everything and brings out the worst in human beings, music brings out the best."

"I am having so much fun performing, I feel almost guilty. I think, my God, I hope no one comes and busts me for this."

"When it all started, record companies - and there were many of them, and this was a good thing - were run by people who loved records, people like Ahmet Ertegun, who ran Atlantic Records, who were record collectors. They got in it because they loved music."

"I'm an inveterate bookstore wanderer. I read constantly, so I love a good bookstore. I can't help it."

"I don't like greed, I don't like ignorance. I really don't like anger. But I love love."

"I think music is a lifting force, I think love is the lifting force in the human condition. I think you see someone loving on their child, and it moves you, and you can't help it. It rings a bell inside of us that elevates us as human beings, and I treasure that. I think it's one of the few great things about human beings."

"Being a hippy was the most natural thing in the world to me."

Personality

Growing up, Crosby absorbed a ton of classical music thanks to his mother's record collection. He also found a love for folk music and jazz, crediting those three musical genres as his main influences. His musical travels eventually led him to discover the Everly Brothers, who provided his introductory moment to pop music, and whose harmonies would greatly affect his own famous music.

In 2006, David Crosby and Graham Nash lent their signature harmonies to the title track for David Gilmour's 'On an Island' album. The pair reprised their role on tour with the Pink Floyd legend, and the collaboration can be seen on Gilmour's 'Live from the Royal Albert Hall' concert DVD.

In the late '90s, Crosby helped fellow rocker Melissa Etheridge and her then-partner Julie Cypher become parents, two times, through the process of artificial insemination. At the time of their birth, the identity of the donor was anonymous, but Etheridge later revealed in 2000 that their friend Crosby had been the benefactor.

Crosby co-wrote "Wooden Ships" on his boat with both Stephen Stills and Jefferson Airplane's Paul Kantner, the latter of whom could not be credited at the time for legal reasons. The politically charged number was written as the Vietnam War was in full swing, and is one of the most socially conscious songs in the Crosby Stills and Nash catalog.

In 1986 he turned himself in to the FBI and served eleven months in Texas jails, including four months in solitary confinement.

Thru his mother, he is a descendant of the Van Cortlandt family and thru his father of the Van Rensselaer family and from both of William Floyd, a signer of the United States Declaration of Independence.

Physical Characteristics: Crosby's height is 1.79 m tall, and his weight is 77 kg.

He had a liver transplant.

Interests

• reading, guitars

• Politicians

  Bernie Sanders, Elisabeth Warren

• Writers

  Carl Hiaasen

• Sport & Clubs

  sailing

• Music & Bands

  David Gilmour, Bonnie Raitt, Michael League, Steve DiStanislao, Stevie Wonder, Michael McDonald

Connections

Dаvіd Сrоѕbу mаrrіеd Јаn Dаnсе, hіѕ gіrlfrіеnd, іn 1987. Не hаd mаnу lоng-tеrm rеlаtіоnѕhірѕ. Ніѕ fоrmеr gіrlfrіеndѕ wеrе Сhrіѕtіnе Ніntоn, Јоnі Міtсhеll, Јасkіе Guthrіе, аnd Dеbbіе Dоnоvаn. Не hаd а bіоlоgісаl ѕоn bасk іn 1962, Јаmеѕ Rауmоnd, whо wаѕ рlасеd fоr аdорtіоn, but lаtеr, hе wаѕ rеunіtеd wіth hіѕ fаthеr.

Не hаd thrее оthеr сhіldrеn, Еrіkа, Dоnоvаn, аnd а ѕоn Dјаngо Сrоѕbу. Dаvіd hаd а brоthеr Еthаn, whо асtuаllу tаught hіm hоw tо рlау guіtаr, соmmіttеd ѕuісіdе, аnd, аftеr а lоng tіmе, hіѕ bоdу wаѕ dіѕсоvеrеd. Тhеrе wеrе mаnу сhаrgеѕ аgаіnѕt hіm, fоr hе wаѕ аddісtеd tо drugѕ. Не wаѕ оnсе аrrеѕtеd fоr hіt аnd run саѕе.

Spouse:

Јаn Dаnсе

Son:

James John Raymond

James John Raymond is a Los Angeles based musician, songwriter, producer and film composer who spends most days in the studio writing, recording, producing and scoring film/TV/ad projects. He tours primarily with his biological dad, David Crosby as musical director and keyboardist/vocalist.

James has produced and co-written two recent records with David Crosby and is currently working on a third. He has written songs for David Crosby, Crosby/Nash, CSNY, Sovory and played on records for Crosby, Warren Zevon, Crosby/Nash and others.

Daughter:

Erika Keller Crosby

Son:

Donovan Crosby

Son:

Dјаngо Сrоѕbу

Brother:

Еthаn Crosby

colleague:

Neil Young

colleague:

Bob Dylan

Although David Crosby didn't like Bob Dylan's vocals right from the start, he later heard Bob singing "Blowin' In The Wind," and other concert staples and labeled watching Dylan "expressing the values systems that I respected" an eye-opener. He now regards Dylan as "one of the major poets of our time."

Friend:

Larry Hagman

Friend:

Drew Barrymore

At the age of 14 Drew Barrymore spent three month at Crosby's home with David Crosby and his wife. The stay was precipitated, Crosby said, because she "needed to be around some people that were committed to sobriety." Barrymore later described this period of her life in her autobiography, Little Girl Lost.

colleague:

Gene Clark

Gene Clark was a founding member of The Byrds.

colleague:

Michael Clarke

(June 3, 1946 - December 19, 1993)

colleague:

Chris Hillman

colleague:

Roger McGuinn

Roger McGuinn is best known for being the frontman of the Byrds.

colleague:

Graham Nash

colleague:

Stephen Stills

References

• David Crosby Official Website
• David Crosby - Facebook
• David Crosby - Twitter
• Long Time Gone: the autobiography of David Crosby
  2016
• Since Then: How I Survived Everything and Lived to Tell About It
  2007
• Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young: The Wild, Definitive Saga of Rock's Greatest Supergroup
  2019
• CSNY: Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young
  2019