David Crosby Of The Byrds And CSNY Dies Aged 81
David Crosby has died at age 81, according to a statement released by his wife to Variety.
“It is with great sadness after a long illness, that our beloved David (Croz) Crosby has passed away,” the statement reads. “He was lovingly surrounded by his wife and soulmate Jan and 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 continue to live on through his legendary music. Peace, love, and harmony to all who knew David and those he touched. We will miss him dearly. At this time, we respectfully and kindly ask for privacy as we grieve and try to deal with our profound loss. Thank you for the love and prayers.”
Over Crosby’s six-decade career, the Californian singer-songwriter with the unmistakeable voice was responsible for songs that have become cultural touchstones for more than three generations, not only as a solo artist, but as a founding member of The Byrds in the mid-60s, Crosby, Stills & Nash, and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. Crosby collaborated with dozens of artists during his career, including Joni Mitchell, James Taylor, Pink Floyd’s David Gilmour, Phil Collins, Elton John and Carole King.
The folk rock pioneer, who was inducted into the prestigious Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2009, eloquently wrote about social issues on classics like Almost Cut My Hair and Wooden Ships, capturing the spirit of the counter-culture in the 70s. He remained an activist until his death.
His first solo album, If I Could Only Remember My Name, was an all-time great, and in recent decades his creativity was resurgent, first as part of CPR with his son, pianist James Raymond, and then on a series of acclaimed solo albums including Croz (2014), Lighthouse (2016), Sky Trails (2017) and For Free (2021).