In the 2019 documentary, “David Crosby: Remember My Name”, narrated and produced by Cameron Crowe, Crosby remarks, “Time is the final currency, man. Not money, not power – it’s time.”

Singer – songwriter, guitarist, founder of two influential American bands and a true icon of the 1960’s counterculture, David Crosby ran out of time on 18^th January 2023 after living a full and productive life.

Born in Los Angeles in 1941, Crosby got into music early through his elder brother who would be listening to Miles Davis & John Coltrane. And in early 60’s he dropped out of college to start The Byrds, a band that blended elements of folk, rock, and country music to create a unique sound that would come to be known as ’folk-rock’. With The Byrds, Crosby wrote and sang some of the band’s most enduring hits, including Eight Miles High.

Things were not going right with The Byrds for Crosby when he met Stephen Still (Buffalo Springfield) and Graham Nash (The Hollies) at Cass Elliot’s (The Mamas & The Papas) home in March 1968. They jammed together and their harmonies and musical chemistry made CSN and their first album – ‘Crosby, Stills & Nash’, an all-time classic with gems like Almost Cut My Hair, Long Time Gone, Guinnevere and Wooden Ships (all of them written by Crosby). Later the band was joined by singer-songwriter Neil Young to become CSNY and together they gave a magical performance at the legendary 1969 Woodstock Festival and the classic album, Déjà vu.

Crosby started his solo career in the 1970’s with brilliant albums like ‘If I Could Only Remember My Name’ and ‘Wind on the Water’ and went on to create music till the end with a fantastic swansong album – ‘For Free’ (2021), featuring musicians like Donald Fagen (Steely Dan), Joni Mitchell & his estranged son, James Raymond. In fact, he was working on plans for a tour and a new album.

Crosby survived multiple health problems (including a heart attack and a liver transplant), drug and alcohol abuse, one year in jail (drug offenses) to come out shining in the end. In his own words, “That one year in jail made me realize how precious and important life is and I decided to clean myself up.” And that’s what he did. Because of his mercurial temperament, Crosby remained estranged from his ex-partners, Nash, Still & Young but they all came out pouring their love and respect for the man after his departure.

Active on social media, one of Crosby’s final tweets (a day before he died) was to make a typically jocular comment about heaven: “I heard the place is overrated…cloudy.” Well, I’m sure he is floating smilingly in the clouds with his trademark moustache and beenie. Travel well, David Crosby and thank you for the music.

By Meraj Hasan

Meraj Hasan is a Dubai based marketing and communications professional, poet and a musician with a passion for listening to music the vinyl way. His 33 years old Technics (SL Q3) turntable along with a humble collection of LPs across genres like Rock, Classical, Blues, Jazz, Indian Classical are his prized possessions. He is also the author of a bestselling book of poems in Hindustani called, 'Khyaalon Ki Tapri'.

He can be reached at +971 522766809 and meraj.hasan@gmail.com.