Pandemic Blues

“Well we’re big rock singers

We’ve got golden fingers

And we love everywhere we go”

 “The Cover of the Rolling Stone”-Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show

Apparently even rockstars are not immune to the stress and strife brought on by the Covid 19 Pandemic.  David Crosby of Crosby Stills Nash & Young was recently interviewed by Patrick Doyle of Rolling Stone magazine and things are not going well.

The band has not toured since 2006 and there were plans for a nation-wide series of sell-out shows this summer.  That was before the Covid 19 Pandemic changed everyone’s schedules.

Crosby Stills Nash and Young were one of the super groups of the 1970’s and sold millions of albums full of music that defined a generation.  Some critics called the band the American Beatles for their songwriting, musicianship and ethereal vocal harmonies. They played Woodstock and hundreds of other iconic venues over the years.

In classic rockstar fashion, Crosby flamed out with a massive cocaine addiction that put him out of action and in jail for a few years.  At his worst Crosby kept coke, a glass pipe and a Bunsen burner just offstage during shows so he could hit the rock between songs.

In 1983 authorities in Dallas,Texas finally brought a jail house finale to that circus. Crosby was sentenced to five years in a state penitentiary for coke possession and carrying a handgun.  At the time a friend was quoted as saying, “David (freebases)  pretty much from the time he gets up to when he collapses.  I think you can safely say that David has smoked up everything he owns-all the cars, everything.”

To his credit Crosby cleaned up his act and by all appearances seems to have been on the straight and narrow ever since. But relationships amongst the band members have never gone smoothly, making reunions a rocky prospect.

  Neil Young hasn’t been speaking to Crosby ever since he criticised Young in the press for leaving longtime wife Peggy to take up with actress Daryl Hanna.  Crosby has since apologised for the remarks but his phone calls to Young have gone unreturned.

Now since the Corona virus has put the kibosh on prospects of touring this summer Crosby is once again on the brink of financial ruin.  There was a 50th anniversary May 4 show at Kent State University with Joe Walsh that also went by the boards because of Corona.

Crosby is now facing the possibility of losing his home of 22 years in Santa Ynez, California.  He’s contemplating selling off some rare D-45 Martin guitars to keep the wolf from door.  He cant play them anymore because he has tendinitis in both hands.

At 78 years old Crosby is suffering the kinds of problems that old age naturally brings.  He’s especially vulnerable to Corona because of his age, his Type 2 diabetes and the fact that he’s had a liver transplant.

Despite his mountain of woes Crosby does not consider himself down for the count.  “It takes a lot to kill me,” he told Rolling Stone.

Crosby is still writing songs and is hopeful that his talent and the love of his art may yet redeem him.

“I’ve still got a lot of music in me,” he said.