David Crosby, 81
This influential singer-songwriter is behind two of the biggest bands of the 1960s, The Byrds and Crosby, and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young.
The Byrds’ first single, a harmony version of Bob Dylan’s “Mr. Tambourine Man” went No. 1 on the U.S. singles chart in early 1965. The band would become America’s answer to The Beatles with its pop/folk influence.
As a member of CSNY their 1970 album “Déjà Vu” hit No. 1 on the charts and went on to sell 7 million copies. The following year “4-Way Street,” a two-LP live set drawn from their subsequent U.S. tour, came out and went quadruple-platinum.
But Crosby was also one of rock’s bad boys, his heavy drug use led to a nine-month jail sentence in a Texas state prison in 1985.
Crosby’s work on The Byrds and CSNY led to 35 million albums sold over his career.
He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice.
Crosby died on January 18, no cause was given.