David Crosby dying: Crosby Stills and Nash, The Byrds co-founder useless at 81, spouse tells Selection

LOS ANGELES (KABC) — David Crosby, the singer-songwriter identified for his work with The Byrds and Crosby, Stills & Nash, has died on the age of 81, in keeping with Selection.

Whereas he solely wrote a handful of broadly identified songs, the witty and ever opinionated Crosby was on the entrance traces of the cultural revolution of the 60s and 70s – whether or not triumphing with Stephen Stills, Graham Nash and Neil Younger on stage at Woodstock, testifying on behalf of a hirsute technology in his anthem “Virtually Reduce My Hair” or mourning the assassination of Robert Kennedy in “Lengthy Time Gone.”

Crosby’s spouse Jan Dance introduced his dying Thursday in a press release to Selection.

“It’s with nice unhappiness after an extended sickness, that our beloved David (Croz) Crosby has handed away. He was lovingly surrounded by his spouse and soulmate Jan and son Django. Though he’s not right here with us, his humanity and type soul will proceed to information and encourage us,” the assertion stated.

“His legacy will proceed to dwell on via his legendary music. Peace, love, and concord to all who knew David and people he touched. We’ll miss him dearly. Right now, we respectfully and kindly ask for privateness as we grieve and attempt to take care of our profound loss. Thanks for the love and prayers.”

WATCH: Vigils honor lifetime of David Crosby by taking part in his legendary music

Crosby was a mainstay of the 60s and 70s music scene, and was a founding member of two influential rock bands: the Byrds and Crosby, Stills & Nash, which later grew to become Crosby, Stills, Nash & Younger.

He was a founder and focus of the Los Angeles rock music group from which such performers because the Eagles and Jackson Browne later emerged. He was a twinkly-eyed hippie patriarch, the inspiration for Dennis Hopper’s long-haired stoner in “Straightforward Rider.” He advocated for peace, however was an unrepentant loudmouth who practiced private warfare and acknowledged that most of the musicians he labored with not spoke to him.

“Crosby was a colourful and unpredictable character, wore a Mandrake the Magician cape, did not get together with too many individuals and had a gorgeous voice – an architect of concord,” Bob Dylan wrote in his 2004 memoir, “Chronicles: Quantity One.”

Crosby’s drug use left him bloated, broke and alienated. He kicked the dependancy in 1985 and 1986 throughout a yr’s jail stretch in Texas on drug and weapons prices. The conviction ultimately was overturned.

“I’ve at all times stated that I picked up the guitar as a shortcut to intercourse and after my first joint I used to be positive that if everybody smoked dope there’d be an finish to warfare,” Crosby stated in his 1988 autobiography, “Lengthy Time Gone,” co-written with Carl Gottlieb. “I used to be proper concerning the intercourse. I used to be flawed when it got here to medicine.”

He lived years longer than even he anticipated and in his 70s loved a inventive renaissance, issuing a number of solo albums whereas collaborating with others together with his son James Raymond, who grew to become a favourite songwriting accomplice.

The Related Press contributed to this report.