David Crosby Tribute (1/20/23)

Dear Lord, please make it stop.

I realize that as the history of popular music passes on, our musical icons have--and will continue to--pass away...but REALLY, 2023? Can we PLEASE have a week or two without a death in the Rock & Roll family?

David Crosby has passed away at the age of 81. Here's the link to Variety Magazine's comprehensive obit: https://variety.com/.../david-crosby-dead-dies-byrds.../

I'm not going to ATTEMPT to do the man justice in this humble little blog of mine, but I will offer up four "Great Songs" that helped define his career.

Of course, his early work came out of the '60s with The Byrds. From 1966, here's a song David co-wrote: "Eight Miles High." Was it about drugs, or a plane flight? We may never know for sure. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NxyOhFBoxSY

In 1969, he joined Stephen Stills and Graham Nash, and helped produce their first hit together: "Marrakesh Express:" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0TYq9RjdYYU

In 1970, Neil Young joined the group, and as CSN&Y, they recorded Neil's protest song about the shootings at Kent State University -- and named names, specifically President Richard Nixon--a move that David thought was the "bravest thing he ever heard." "Ohio" The song spent years on Rolling Stone's list of the "500 Greatest Songs of All Time," and in 2009, it was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hi829EsJvVo

In 1982, Crosby, Stills & Nash (sans Young) had their first hit in 5 years with "Wasted on the Way:" a prime example of their exquisite harmonies. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWlEsta4xS8

Folks, those four "Great Songs" are just the tip of the iceberg-- four of the MANY reasons why David Crosby was elected to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame TWICE. (Byrds & CSNY). R.I.P.