Friday's Playlist: R.I.P. David Crosby

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Three weeks into the new year and legends are already dropping like flies. Last week's Playlist focused on Jeff Beck who had just died, this week we're covering the vast career of David Crosby, who passed away recently after a long illness at the age of 81.

The fact that he made it that long is an incredible feat in itself. After decades of self-abuse, the fact that he was able to come back from the gutter and record some amazing records is a testament to the man's talent. 

This playlist unfolds somewhat chronologically, and the first half will be very familiar to anyone with a passing interest in rock or folk-rock. His work with the Byrds or Crosby, Stills, Nash (and sometimes Young) has become the stuff of legend. Even his first solo album, If I Could Only Remember My Name, has acquired quite a reputation after having been unfairly maligned for years.

The real surprise here, for anyone who hasn't been closely following his later career, is the quality of his recent output. Albums like Croz, Lighthouse or For Free are just as good as his first solo record. His singing is just as pure and angelic as his early recordings with the Byrds and his songwriting has reached a level of honesty and maturity only hinted at in his earlier output.

For further immersion into the man's career, the Cameron Crowe-produced documentary David Crosby: Remember My Name from 2019 is highly recommended.

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