Carole King, Questlove, Melissa Etheridge Remember David Crosby: “His Music and Legacy Will Inspire Many”

Questlove, Carole King, Melissa Etheridge and more stars took to social media Thursday to pay tribute to two-time Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee David Crosby, who died at 81.

The musician was a founding member of The Byrds and, later in his career, Grammy-winning band Crosby, Stills & Nash, which eventually became Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young.

CSNY bandmate Stephen Stills remembered Crosby by saying in part, “David and I butted heads a lot over time, but they were mostly glancing blows, yet still left us numb skulls.”

He went on to say, “I was happy to be at peace with him. 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.”

Graham Nash took to Instagram to remember Crosby, writing that he learned of his bandmate’s death “with a deep and profound sadness.”

“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,” Nash 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.”

Neil Young penned a tribute shared on his Neil Young Archives site writing, “David is gone, but his music lives on. 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. His singing with Graham was so memorable, their duo spot a highlight of so many of our shows.”

Young continued, “We had so 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. 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!”

Crosby helped Etheridge and her ex-partner Julie Cypher conceive their late son, Beckett, via sperm donation. The singer-songwriter shared her grief over the loss of her friend. “He gave me the gift of family,” Etheridge tweeted. “His music and legacy will inspire many generations to come.”

King remembered her “old friend,” writing, “he left us with his words, his music and his beautiful voice. My deepest condolences to Jan, Django and everyone who loved David Crosby.”

“David Crosby’s music was definitely a part of my life as I’m sure it was for millions of folks,” Daredevil star Vincent D’Onofrio wrote. “A lot of music came from my 3 sisters rooms when I was a pre-teen & all of it was my introduction to rock & the many variations of. Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young was ever present.”

Though Tom Petty died in 2017, his Twitter account is still active, and it tweeted, “Tom counted David Crosby as a friend and a hero. He visited often at his house in the valley. He was funny, provocative and electric with talent. His contribution to music will never be forgotten.”

Read more tributes below.