Crosby, Stills & Nash

Known as the first so-called supergroup (because all three members came from successful acts), Crosby, Stills and Nash might never have come together if two of their three members hadn’t come together if two of their three members hadn’t become disenchanted with their previous groups, coincidentally, for the same reason. In 1964, David Crosby was a member of the Byrds, one of the first folk-rock groups. When Crosby wrote a song in 1967 called “Triad” that the Byrds did not feel enthusiastic about and didn’t want to record, he left. Graham Nash, a member of the Hollies, decided to move on when his group refused to record Nash’s “Marrakesh Express.” In 1968 both joined forces with former Buffalo Springfield member Stephen Stills to develop what became an immediately recognizable three-part harmony vocal style. Though all three were guitarists (Stills was the “hot” lead player), the concentration on tight vocals gave them a fresh, country-rock sound that seemed all the more original as the psychedelic era began to wind down in the early ‘70s. Ironically, “Marrakesh Express” became CSN’s first release and first hit in July 1969 (#28).

Neil Young (also of the now-defunct Buffalo Springfield) joined the group soonafter. Neil had been a member of a doo wop group known as Danny and the Memories (Valiant Records, 1964) whose recording of the standard “Can’t Help Loving That Girl of Mine” gave little indication of his future direction (though it had a solid group harmony sound).

Practically unrehearsed as a performing unit, CSN appeared at the legendary Woodstock festival in August 1969.

Their next five singles all did well, including “Suite: Judy Blue Eyes” (#21), written by Stephen Stills for Judy Collins; “Woodstock” (#11), written by Joni Mitchell; “Teach Your Children” (#16) and “Our House” (#30), both written by Nash; and Neil Young’s tribute to those killed at Kent State University, “Ohio” (#14). “Our House” was the last chart single before their first breakup in late 1970.

Largely due to the new exposure medium of FM radio (playing mostly LP cuts in the late ‘60s and early ‘70s), the group enjoyed tremendous album success without the usual necessary top 10 record. They didn’t score one until they regrouped in 1977, with “Just A Song Before I Go.”

They continually regrouped and worked in various configurations through the ‘70s and ‘80s, sometimes recording as duos (Crosby and Nash LPs in the early ‘70s, Stills and Young’s Long May You Run LP in 1976, and so on). In 1982, the trio saw their Daylight LP yield their second top 10 hit, “Wasted on the Way” (#9).

– Jay Warner

Soundtrack/Filmography

1. Lord of War (2005) (writer: “For What It’s Worth”)
2. Breakfast on Pluto (2005) (“For What It’s Worth”)
3. The King (2005) (writer: “Helplessly Hoping”)
4. Gigli (2003) (writer: “Love The One You’re With”)
5. Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde (2003) (writer: “For What It’s Worth”)
6. Coral Reef Adventure (2003) (writer: “Southern Cross”, “Change Partners”, “Panama”) (performer: “Change Partners”)
   • A.K.A. MacGillivray Freeman’s Coral Reef Adventure (USA: complete title)
7. “The Simpsons”
   • Treehouse of Horror XIII (2002) TV Episode (writer: “Love The One You’re With”)
8. The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys (2002) (writer: “Do It For the Others”) (performer: “Do It For the Others”)
9. “The West Wing”
   • Isaac and Ishmael (2001) TV Episode (writer: “For What it’s Worth”)
10. Nutty Professor II: The Klumps (2000) (writer: “Love the One You’re With”)
    • A.K.A. The Klumps (Australia)
11. My Wasted Life (2000) (TV) (writer: “For What It’s Worth”)
12. Forces of Nature (1999) (writer: “Love The One You’re With”)
13. Patch Adams (1998) (“Carry On”)
14. Hideous Kinky (1998) (“You Don’t Have To Cry”)
    • A.K.A. Marrakech express (France)
15. Prefontaine (1997) (writer: “Love the One You’re With”, “Nacio Para Correr”) (performer: “Love the One You’re With”, “Nacio Para Correr”)
16. Mr. Reliable (1996) (writer: “For What It’s Worth”)
    • A.K.A. Mr. Reliable: A True Story
    • A.K.A. My Entire Life (USA)
17. The War at Home (1996) (writer: “Find the Cost of Freedom”)
18. Hootie & the Blowfish: Summer Camp with Trucks (1995) (V) (writer: “Love the One You’re With” (Medley))
19. The History of Rock ‘N’ Roll, Vol. 6 (1995) (TV) (writer: “Suite: Judy Blue Eyes”)
    • A.K.A. My Generation
20. Forrest Gump (1994) (“For What It’s Worth (Stop, Hey What’s That Sound)”)
21. Manufacturing Consent: Noam Chomsky and the Media (1992) (writer: “For What It’s Worth”)
22. Where the Day Takes You (1992) (writer: “FOR WHAT IT’S WORTH”)
23. My Cousin Vinny (1992) (writer: “DON’T LOOK AT MY SHADOW”)
24. 1969 (1988) (writer: “Wooden Ships”)
25. Dear America: Letters Home from Vietnam (1987) (TV) (writer: “FOR WHAT IT’S WORTH”)
    • A.K.A. Dear America
26. Amazing Grace and Chuck (1987) (producer: “Chuck’s Lament (A Child’s Dream)”)
    • A.K.A. Silent Voice
27. The Slugger’s Wife (1985) (writer: “LOVE THE ONE YOU’RE WITH”)
    • A.K.A. Neil Simon’s The Slugger’s Wife
28. The Killing of America (1982) (writer: “For What It’s Worth”)
    • A.K.A. Violence U.S.A (Japan: English title)
29. Journey Through the Past (1974) (writer: “For What It’s Worth”, “Rock And Roll Woman”, “Find The Cost Of Freedom”)
30. The Strawberry Statement (1970) (“Suite: Judy Blue Eyes”)
31. Woodstock (1970) (writer: “Suite: Judy Blue Eyes”)
    • A.K.A. Woodstock 25th Anniversary Edition (USA: director’s cut)
    • A.K.A. Woodstock, 3 Days of Peace & Music (USA: longer version)

• Filmography links and data courtesy of The Internet Movie Database