R.I.P. David Crosby, 81

 

 

 

 

 

 

I am very saddened by the passing of David Crosby (see Chris Morris and Chris Willman’s obituary in Variety), although it was not unexpected. Even in 2019, in Cameron Crowe’s absorbing documentary Remember My Name, he grappled with his mortality. Most retrospective writing about Crosby focuses on his personal foibles, difficult personality, and breakups with famous bandmates in the Byrds and CSN(Y), but the postmortem remembrances and testimonials from those with whom he collaborated, like this collection here in Variety, are heartfelt and generous.

 

 

I will always cherish, particularly, his 1971 album If I Could Only Remember My Name, one of the most gorgeous to come out of that decade, perfectly evocative of the Dreamtime. I always marveled that Crosby had the magnetism and magic to meld the very different late ‘60s- early ‘70s California scenes of jangly LA and Laurel Canyon and the trippy psychedelia of the Bay Area. IICORMN was made with the contributions of Graham Nash, Neil Young, and Joni Mitchell alongside my first musical loves, members of Jefferson Airplane and the Grateful Dead as well as Santana. Putting it on and playing it loudly this evening…