In 1967 David Crosby 'left' the Byrds. According to David himself in the documentary 'Echo in the Canyon', "they threw me out of The Byrds because I was an asshole". Graham Nash left The Hollies and around the same time Stephen Stills' band Buffalo Springfield split up.
So it was that the three of them found themselves doing an informal performance in July 1968 and realised that they sang really well together, particularly in their amazing harmonies.
In 1969 they released their first album, eponomously titled 'Crosby, Stills & Nash'. If ever you needed proof of their harmony, 'Suite: Judy Blue Eyes' and 'Marrakesh Express' put any doubts to rest.
They had to beef up the band to go on tour, so after picking up a bassist and a drummer they still needed someone on keyboards. Stephen Stills at first tried to get Steve Winwood but he'd just got involved with Blind Faith. Neil Young had been with Stephen Stills in Buffalo Springfield, but it took a bit of persuading before he was brought in as a fourth named member of the group. His contract also allowed him to keep his separate career with his other band, Crazy Horse. After only one show as the newly formed Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, their second performance was at Woodstock.
"This is the second time we've ever played in front of people, man. We're scared shitless."
-Stephen Stills, Woodstock 1968-
Their first release as a four member group was today's featured album Déjà Vu. It was really a struggle from start to finish. Most of the tracks apart from 'Woodstock' were recorded in separate sessions by each member, with Neil Young doing his bits in Los Angeles and coming in with them to get the other voices put on. The album took over 6 months to record, with Stephen Stills estimating over 800 hours of studio time, but that may be a bit exaggerated.
At the same time they were all struggling with personal dramas. Stephen Stills split from his girlfriend singer/songwriter Judy Collins, Graham Nash broke up with his girlfriend singer/songwriter Joni Mitchell and David Crosby's off-again on-again hippie girlfriend Christine Hinton borrowed his VW to take her cats to the vet. One of them jumped on her lap, she lost control and had a head-on with a school bus, killing her.
Even so, the music produced on this album is phenomenal. Stephen Stills writing/singing 'Carry On', Graham Nash writing/singing 'Teach Your Children' and 'Our House', Neil Young writing/singing 'Helpless' along with Crosby's 'Almost Cut My Hair' and the Joni Mitchell composition 'Woodstock'.
Along with that you have Jerry Garcia (Grateful Dead) playing guitar on 'Teach Your Children' and John Sebastian (Lovin' Spoonful) blowing the harmonica on 'Déjà vu'.
I mentioned the music documentary 'Echo in the Canyon' earlier. I'm not sure about other countries but it's on Netflix here in the U.S.
If you can find it, watch it. The narration, interviews, as well as new performances of old songs, are done by Jakob Dylan. Everybody who was anybody from the Laurel Canyon days of 1965-67 makes an appearance, either in old clips or contemporary scenes. It is a fantastic piece - I can't recommend it highly enough. Learn and hear first hand about CSNY, Mamas and Papas, Beach Boys et al.
In the meantime, soak in some early CSNY, and remember the days.
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