Just a Song Before I Go
Rock legend and iconoclast David Crosby
Written by Josef Woodard | Photography by Mark Webb, and Art Streiber
While the world mourns the passing of pioneering folk-rocker David Crosby, who died on January 18 at age 81, Santa Barbara has a special stake in the Crosby story. Crosby, best known for work with the Byrds and Crosby, Stills & Nash, mostly grew up in Santa Barbara, went to schools here, and after his adventurous (and mis-adventurous) life, returned to the 805 to live in Santa Ynez with his wife, Jan, and son, Django, since the early ’90s. Back on his home turf, the Rock & Roll Hall of Famer could regularly be found eating at La Super Rica and playing local stages, in the spotlight or guest cameos.
Outspoken and influential to generations of musicians, Crosby had an especially busy final decade, capping off a solo career launched with 1971’s album I Could Only Remember My Name and ending 50 years later, with 2021’s For Free.
In a 2016 interview, Crosby spoke of his late-breaking, late-life creative burst, commenting “I can’t explain it, but I am deeply grateful for it. I’m trying to pay attention and work at it, do the best work I can possibly do. I can’t explain why I can sing, even after everything I’ve been through. But if the muse comes, you should be grateful and work at it.”
