Folk rock is a popular music genre that emerged in the mid-1960s, primarily in the U.S. and UK, by blending the acoustic, lyrical, and melodic elements of folk music with the electric instrumentation, rhythm, and energy of rock & roll. It often features close vocal harmonies, poignant songwriting, and jangly guitars. 

Crosby, Stills & Nash (CSN) was a folk-rock supergroup composed of the American singer-songwriters David Crosby: Contributed jazz-influenced open tunings, social commentary, and a rebellious edge. Stephen Stills: Served as the primary multi-instrumentalist, anchoring the band’s acoustic blues and progressive folk-rock sound. Graham Nash: Provided accessible pop sensibilities, clear high harmonies, and commercial appeal. When joined by the Canadian singer-songwriter Neil Young (also formerly of Buffalo Springfield), they were known as Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young (CSNY). They are noted for their intricate vocal harmonies and lasting influence on American music and culture, their political activism and their tumultuous relationships..

CSN emerged when David Crosby, a guitarist and singer-songwriter for the Byrds and Stephen Stills, a guitarist, keyboardist, and singer-songwriter with Buffalo Springfield joined with Graham Nash, a guitarist, singer, and songwriter with the Hollies. Crosby had been sacked from the Byrds in October 1967 due to disagreements over his songwriting. His first meeting with Stills was at the Monterey Pop Festival, where Crosby subbed for Neil Young (who quit the band before the gig) with Buffalo Springfield. By early 1968, Buffalo Springfield had disintegrated and Stills was unemployed following recording of their final album. Following the Monterey gig, Stills and Crosby began meeting informally and jamming. Graham Nash first met Crosby on the Byrds’ UK tour of 1966. Two years later, Nash relocated to California in 1968 and resumed his acquaintance with him. Nash met Stills at a party at Peter Tork’s house in Laurel Canyon. Nash decided to quit the Hollies in December 1968 and flew to Los Angeles two days later, feeling that the new-forming CSN would be a better fit for him. The trio travelled to London in early 1969 to rehearse for what turned out to be an unsuccessful audition with the Beatles’ Apple Records. However, back in California, Ahmet Ertegun, who had been a fan of Buffalo Springfield and was disappointed by that band’s demise, signed them to Atlantic Records. the trio decided not to be locked into a group structure. They used their surnames as identification to ensure independence and a guarantee that the band could not continue without one of them. The trio’s first album, Crosby, Stills & Nash, was released in May 1969. The eponymously titled album was a major hit in the United States, that spawned two Top 40 hits (“Suite: Judy Blue Eyes” and “Marrakesh Express”. With the exception of drum parts (primarily performed by Dallas Taylor) and a handful of rhythm and acoustic guitar parts from Crosby and Nash, Stills handled most of the instrumentation (including every lead guitar, bass and keyboard part) on the album, which left the band in need of additional personnel to be able to tour, a necessity given the debut album’s commercial impact. The trio expanded to a quartet after Young joined under terms of contract that allowed Young full freedom to maintain a parallel career with his new band, Crazy Horse. The expanded group embarked on a four-leg, 39-date tour that ended with three European concerts in January 1970.

The Supergroup Blueprint: They were one of the first bands built entirely from musicians who had already found fame in other major 1960s groups. Their history was plagued by intense infighting and frequent breakups, which they openly channelled into their music. CSN was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1997, and all four members have also been inducted separately for their work in other bands.

The album became the trio configuration’s best-selling album to date. After successful arena tours in 1977 and 1978, further work as a group was complicated by Crosby’s newfound dependence on freebase cocaine. Ahmet Ertegun, who seldom intervened in the band’s affairs refused to reimburse their expenses or release the Nash Stills LP Daylight Again until Crosby was reinstated. Crosby contributed “Delta” (his last original composition for several years) and a cover of Judy Henske’s and Craig Doerge’s “Might as Well Have a Good Time” along with some additional vocals on other tracks. Although the success of Daylight Again inaugurated a new tradition of near-annual touring that persisted for over thirty years, the bottom soon fell out for Crosby, who was arrested and jailed on drug and weapons charges in Texas in May 1982. Crosby was sentenced to two terms, but the conviction was overturned; arrested several more times, he finally turned himself in to the authorities in December 1985.He spent eight months in prison. CSN recorded two more studio albums in the 1990s, Live It Up (1990) and After the Storm (1994); both albums sold poorly by previous standards.By the late 1990s, CSN found themselves without a record contract. They began financing recordings themselves, and in 1999 Stills invited Young to guest on a few tracks. Impressed by their gumption, Young increased his level of input, turning the album into a CSNY project, Looking Forward. The album was released at Young’s behest. The disc was better received than the previous three albums from a critical standpoint laying the groundwork for the ensuing CSNY2K Tour (2000) and the CSNY Tour of America (2002), both of which were major money-makers. Various compilations of the band’s configurations have arrived over the years, the compilation and oversight of these releases has largely been managed by Nash. In June 2009 Crosby, Stills and Nash performed at the Glastonbury Festival. Stephen Stills was praised for his exceptional guitar playing. Despite the unprecedented tumult between Crosby and Young, CSN embarked on a routine world tour encompassing American, European and Japanese venues in 2015. Nash announced in March, 2016 that Crosby, Stills & Nash would never perform again because of his recent estrangement from Crosby. On January 18, 2023, David Crosby died at 81, ending any possibilities of a full reunion.