David Cosby defied death and defined folk rock. Crosby was a co-founder of the Byrds in the mid-1960s and Crosby Stills Nash and Young later in the decade.

Crosby died January 18 in Los Angeles. His wife said he died after a long illness, however friends said he died in his sleep after a short bout with Covid-19. He was 81.

The Song of the Day is paying tribute to the singers, musicians and songwriters who died in 2023.

Crosby was as troubled as he was talented. He was kicked out of the Byrds because of his political diatribes and disagreements over what songs to use on their fifth album.

He’d already started playing with Steven Stills and Neil Young when he met Graham Nash and they formed Crosby Stills & Nash. Young would join later.

They became one of the most popular groups of the early 1970s. Crosby turned to a solo career during the band’s long hiatuses.

Crosby’s drug use, mostly cocaine and heroin, grew during the 1970s and ‘80s. He was arrested in Texas in 1982 for possession of cocaine. He continued to abuse drugs for the next three years while fighting to stay out of prison. He lost all is appeals and spent eight months in a Texas prison in 1985. He said being in prison forced him to become sober and saved his life.

Crosby survived a liver transplant in 1994; hepatitis C, diabetes and several heart issues.

Crosby wrote dozens of great songs. He wrote Our Song of the Day,” “Déjà vu,” for the “CSNY” album. The song idea came to him during his first sailing trip.

“It’s as if I had done it before. I knew way more about it than I should have,” he said in a 2019 book about CSN&Y.

Song of the Day is created by Sheldon Zoldan, and produced by Pam James for WGCU. Audio production is by Simon Dunham, WGCU. To receive the Song of the Day in your inbox every day, email shzoldan@comcast.net with the subject line ADD ME TO SOTD.