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The
singular odyssey of David Crosby remains one of
the more remarkable tales in the annals of music
history. As a founding member of the pioneering
American groups the Byrds and Crosby, Stills &
Nash, he helped create and popularize the highly
influential folk-rock sound, forging the richly
harmonic, radiantly acoustic approach which defined
the West Coast music scene for years to follow;
he also sold millions of records and enjoyed a cultural
impact equaled by few of his contemporaries. Yet
despite his often overwhelming success, Crosby is
recognized far less for his artistic achievements
than for his larger-than-life offstage exploits,
specifically a long and fantastically excessive
battle with drug abuse which seemingly kept him
teetering on the brink of death for over a decade;
that he not only survived but remained as colorful
and newsworthy a character as before, is a testament
to his continued creativity and unpredictability.
Crosby
was born in Los Angeles on August 14, 1941; the
son of Academy Award-winning cinematographer Floyd
Crosby, he dropped out of drama school to pursue
a career in music, touring the folk club circuit
and recording as a member of the Les Baxter Balladeers.
Under the auspices of producer Jim Dickson, Crosby
cut his first solo session in late 1963; early the
following year he formed the Jet Set with Jim McGuinn
and Gene Clark, and with the additions of bassist
Chris Hillman and drummer Michael Clarke, the group
was rechristened the Byrds. Although McGuinn chiefly
pioneered the Byrds' trademark 12-string guitar
sound, Crosby was the architect of their shimmering
harmonies; his interests in jazz and Indian music
also influenced their subsequent excursions into
psychedelic. However, creative differences plagued
the group throughout their career, and in 1967 Crosby
-- reportedly rankled by his bandmates' refusal
to release his menage-a-trois opus "Triad"
-- left the Byrds in the wake of their appearance
at the Monterey Pop Festival.
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