Neil Young Shares Tribute to David Crosby: 'The Heart of Our Band'

Steve Jennings/WireImage Neil Young and David Crosby in 2013

Neil Young is remembering his late bandmate David Crosby.

The Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young member penned a heartfelt tribute to Crosby — who died this week at the age of 81.

"David is gone, but his music lives on," Young, 77, wrote on his Neil Young Archives website. "The soul of CSNY, David's voice and energy were at the heart of our band. His great songs stood for what we believed in and it was always fun and exciting when we got to play together."

"'Almost Cut My Hair' 'Dejavu', and so many other great songs he wrote were wonderful to jam on and Stills and I had a blast as he kept us going on and on," Young continued. "His singing with Graham was so memorable, their duo spot a highlight of so many of our shows."

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getty Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young

While Crosby and Young may have had a complicated relationship over the years, Young chose to reflect on their "many great times, especially in the early years."

"Crosby was a very supportive friend in my early life, as we bit off big pieces of our experience together. David was the catalyst of many things," he continued. "My heart goes out to Jan and Django, his wife and son. Lots of love to you. Thanks David for your spirit and songs, Love you man. I remember the best times!"

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With bandmates refusing to speak to each other in later years, per Pitchfork, Crosby called Daryl Hannah, Young's now-wife, "a purely poisonous predator" back in 2014. He's since apologized after Young wished him the "best with his life" on the Howard Stern Show, but their issues didn't end then.

Scott Dudelson/Getty David Crosby in 2018

Still, the duo has a hit-making history in their past, dating back to when Young joined Crosby, Stills, & Nash in 1970 for their Déjà Vu LP. Their final album as a four-piece supergroup came in 1999 with Looking Forward.

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Bandmates Stephen Stills and Graham Nash also paid tribute to Crosby with statements — with Stills telling Deadline that he was "without question a giant of a musician."

"I read a quote in this morning's paper attributed to compose Gustav Mahler that stopped me for a moment: 'Death has, on placid cat's paws, entered the room.' I shoulda known something was up.
David and I butted heads a lot over time, but they were mostly glancing blows, yet still left us numb skulls. I was happy to be at peace with him," Stills said. "He was without question a giant of a musician, and his harmonic sensibilities were nothing short of genius. The glue that held us together as our vocals soared, like Icarus, towards the sun. I am deeply saddened at his passing and shall miss him beyond measure."

Paul Morigi/Getty David Crosby, Stephen Stills and Graham Nash in 2015

Nash decided to remember Crosby for the "pure joy of the music we created together, the sound we discovered with one another, and the deep friendship we shared over all these many long years" in an Instagram post.

"It is with a deep and profound sadness that I learned that my friend David Crosby has passed. I know people tend to focus on how volatile our relationship has been at times, but what has always mattered to David and me more than anything was the pure joy of the music we created together, the sound we discovered with one another, and the deep friendship we shared over all these many long years," he wrote.

"David was fearless in life and in music. He leaves behind a tremendous void as far as sheer personality and talent in this world. He spoke his mind, his heart, and his passion through his beautiful music and leaves an incredible legacy. These are the things that matter most. My heart is truly with his wife, Jan, his son, Django, and all of the people he has touched in this world.

Crosby's wife announced his death in a statement to Variety on Thursday, after a "long illness."