David Crosby, a member of the iconic Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, passed away on January 19 at the age of 81. Although Neil Young and Crosby had been estranged since 2014, following Crosby’s negative remarks about Young’s wife, Daryl Hannah, Young’s tribute centered on the unforgettable music they created together over more than four decades.
“David is gone, but his music will continue,” Young shared on his Neil Young Archives website. “At the core of CSNY, David’s voice and energy were fundamental. His songs reflected what we stood for, and it was always an exciting experience playing with him. ‘Almost Cut My Hair,’ ‘Deja Vu,’ and so many other remarkable tracks he wrote were a joy to jam on, and Stills and I had so much fun as he kept going on. His harmonies with Graham were unforgettable, a highlight of many of our performances.”
Reflecting on their time together, Young added, “We had countless memorable moments, particularly in the early years. Crosby was a great support in my early life, and we navigated many of our experiences side by side. He was the spark behind a lot of things. My heart goes out to his wife Jan and son Django. Much love to you. Thank you, David, for your spirit and songs. Love you, man. I’ll always remember the best times!”
The four musicians—Young, Crosby, Stills, and Nash—came together in 1969, influenced by the creative energy of Los Angeles’ Laurel Canyon. Their debut album as a quartet, Deja Vu, was released in 1970 and is considered one of their finest works, with classics like “Carry On,” “Teach Your Children,” and “Helpless.” Their bond remained strong for years, sharing not only music but a deep personal connection. Yet their collaborations halted in 2014 when Crosby made controversial remarks about Young’s wife, which led to years of estrangement.
Despite the tension, Young’s 2017 comments hinted at a possible reconciliation, noting that while much needed to be resolved, CSNY had a “chance of getting together again.” The closest they came to reconciling was in 2022 when Crosby, Nash, and Stills removed their music from Spotify in support of Young, who had pulled his catalog earlier due to the platform’s hosting of the Joe Rogan podcast, which spread misinformation during the pandemic.
“We support Neil and agree that dangerous disinformation on Spotify’s Joe Rogan podcast must be addressed,” they said in their statement at the time. “While we value different perspectives, spreading harmful misinformation during a global health crisis has deadly consequences. Until Spotify takes action, we don’t want our music, or the music we made together, on the same platform.”
Barbara Desetto