Remembering David Crosby
Hi, WA Friends!
Most of you probably know that singer, songwriter, and guitar player David Crosby passed away on January 18th, 2023, at 81 years old, from complications due to poor health.
I just wanted to say a few words about my recollections of him and his music. It's always sad when we lose someone in our musical family, but one of the best ways to honor them is by listening to their recorded material and reminiscing how they affected your life in a positive way!
David was a founding member of the bands "The Byrds" (not to be confused with the band "The Yardbirds)," and Crosby, Still, and Nash.
I can distinctly remember the first time I heard The Byrds play a cover of Bob Dylan's song "Mr. Tamborene Man." I was in middle school (back in the 60s) and playing in a rhythm and blues band. We immediately added this song to our musical repertoire.
It never sounded right because Roger McGuinn played it on a 12-string Rickenbacker 360 guitar through a Fender Twin Reverb, Super Reverb, or Dual Showman amplifier (depending on the occasion). We never quite captured that "jangly" sound without that particular guitar!
Who was Buffalo Springfield?
Do you remember the band Buffalo Springfield? It was important because it had the likes of Stephen Stills, Neil Young, Bruce Palmer, Jim Messina, and Jim Fielder!
Bruce was in a band that eventually became Steppenwolf ("Born to Be Wild" and "Magic Carpet Ride"). Jim was in Loggins and Messina, and Jim Fielder was the bass player for Blood, Sweat, and Tears."
Stephen Stills and Neil Young joined forces with David and Graham Nash to form Crosby. Stills, Nash, and Young. It was initially Crosby, Stills, and Nash. Neil Young joined them and later went off on his own to start a solo career.
Anyway, our band played the Buffalo Springfield song "For What It's Worth." It had this distinctive recurring guitar part that used a tremolo setting that some guitar amplifiers featured back in the 60s. It raised and lowered the volume of the notes at a certain speed and intensity. This is different than vibrato, which raises and lowers a note's pitch (not volume).
The Tremolo on the Fender Twin Reverb amp I was playing through didn't sound exactly like the guitar part on the song, and that really annoyed me. So, I searched around and found this used "Kalamazoo" amp in a mom-and-pop music shop. It was made by the Chicago Music Company. I plugged my guitar in, adjusted the tremolo setting, and it absolutely "nailed" the song's sound!
I used this little amp, which had to be mic'd into our PA system to make it louder for just that one song, "For What It's Worth!" I still have that amp in my music studio all these years later! It's worth at least five times what I paid for it in 1967!
Here is an image of it, which shows the "Tremolo" knob. I had to pull it out of a closet, so it's a little dusty, but I plugged it in, and it still works perfectly!
You can listen to that song on YouTube, and you'll hear that guitar sound going in and out!:
https://youtu.be/1eD-8NTwP9I
Woodstock
Another big song my band did from Crosby, Stills, and Nash was "Woodstock."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?...
I love the distorted minor pentatonic guitar riffs in that song, and it became one of the biggest hits to come out of the Woodstock Festival, second only to Jimi Hendrix's version of the Star Spangled Banner!
Discography
David's Solo Albums:
- If I Could Only Remember My Name (1971)
- Oh Yes I Can (1989)
- Thousand Roads (1993)
- Croz (2014)
- Lighthouse (2016)
- Sky Trails (2017)
- Here If You Listen (2018)
- For Free (2021)
And ...One of my favorites of David's live albums:
King Biscuit Flower Hour (1996)
Keep On Rockin' 🤘
Frank 😎 🎸
Recent Comments
73
This is such bad news…the music world and fans of music have lost a great, great position!
However, we should be thankful for the music and the impression he made in the music world that he left behind for us and joy for many years ahead.
🙏
-Mike
I have always loved Crosby, Stills, and Nash. Not so much a fan of young. Sorry, Frank. Thanks for this post. I had not heard he had died.
:D I don't mind the outlaw, I just didn't like his voice. It sounded like he was singing through his nose. Good songs, just let someone else sing them, please. :)
:) Unfortunately, that sentiment goes for a lot of musicians that people thought were great.
Yeah, CSNY was one of my favorites. My dad was a record distributor with Tower Records, and while he was chatting with a softball teammate, Danny Baxter, a local radio DJ, in the trunk of my dads car, I spotted the DJ copy of their Celebration Copy. I swept it right up!
Funny, I listed to the B side more. Had no idea until I checked online to verify the name.
Anyway, I wore that one out, Im sure..
For what its worth, by Buffalo Springfield, was the first song I learned how to play. A neighbor and friend of mine was a fabulous singer songwriter who never got her big break. She had met Crosby a few times, as well with a few other songwriters and musicians of that era.
She had the voice of Joni Mitchell (my personal favorite), and Carly Simon, and she wrote her own music, even open-tuned her Gibson.
Yeah, David Crosby's death sure brought up some memories....A long Time Gone....
Rudy
Hi, Rudy
Yeah, your dad had such a cool job! Great memories for sure!😎
What instrument do you play?
Frank 🎸
I used to play guitar, bass, and am trying my hands..lol...at the drums..
I dont play so much now as its hard for me to hold the chords, not sure whats up with that...
Rudy
Excellent, Rudy! You’re a multi-instrumentalist!
Then, my story about trying to get the tremolo to sound correct on “For What It’s Worth” must have amused you.
I had a great Fender amp but had to play it through that tiny 15 Watt Kalamazoo to get that wider & deeper tremolo sound.
An electric guitar with low action and thin gauge strings would help you with your hand problem. Let me know if you want more info and I’ll direct you to some helpful articles on my site.
The memories of all the fun we’ve both had with music over the years is priceless! 😎
Frank 🎸
Priceless indeed!
I had not thought about an electric guitar, I did have a Fender acoustic with pick-up, yet sold that a few years ago.
I do miss playing, though.
My friend who taught me how to play 'For what its worth', asked me what songs I wanted to learn. I said 'Come Together' by The Beatles...
She showed me how to pick 'Get Together ' by The Youngbloods.. grin.
Ah, those were the days, my friend...
Rudy
Hi, Rudy
You can buy a decent electric guitar for under $300 and you don’t need an amp.
They are easier to play than most acoustics because the strings have less tension and are closer to the neck.
All that really matters is having fun playing it, not how good you are. That’s my main message all over my website.
Let me know and I can recommend some models. 😎
Frank 🎸
When the time comes, I know where to find you...grin.
I'm still figuring out the drums...grin.
Rudy
See more comments
Hello Frank, I enjoyed reading this post because it brought back meaningful memories from that rock era. One of my friends got married in the mood 1960s and his band played For What It's Worth. Even though it was his wedding he went on stage and played the lead with his band. I can't remember if they had the tremolo sound you emphasized but they sure sounded great.
This post read like a page out of rock history genealogy. Loved it, Frank. Sadly with so many legends passing away, I can see you posting frequently. You don't have to wait for the demise of another legend to write about them.
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young was one of my favorite bands.
Great job.
Edwin
Thanks, Edwin!
I’m so glad you liked it!
Haha, That’s a great story about your friend’s wedding! Listen to that YouTube link on “For What It’s Worth” and you’ll hear exactly the tremolo effect I’m talking about!
Great musical memories last a lifetime! 😎
Frank 🎸
Mine too, Edwin! CSNY !!
Rudy