In
1942, Graham Nash was born in
Blackpool, England. At a very early age he became interested in the newest British music craze,
Skiffle. With his school friend
Allan Clark he formed a band that became known as
Two Teens, the
Levins and the
Guytones, after acquiring a pair of Guytone guitars. Both Nash and Clark were recruited into the
Deltas by bassist
Eric Haydock. This band would eventually evolve into the
The Hollies, Nash's first commercial success. With a series of popular original and cover singles, the Hollies became one of the most prominent of a new wave of
British rockers. After a brief tour of
England with the
Rolling Stones, the Hollies came to
America to perform on the
NBC showcase
Hullabaloo.
By 1967, Nash and the rest of the band had grown apart, both personally and musically. While touring in the United States, Nash met two talented musicians from California: David Crosby of the Byrds and Stephen Stills of Buffalo Springfield. Upon discovering that their vocal styles meshed well and they were moving in similar creative directions, they began recording together in 1968. Their sudden rise to stardom was marked by a performance at Woodstock in 1969 and the release of their eponymous hit album. Around this time, Nash became involved in a number of socio-political movements including anti-Nuclear and conservation efforts. CSN has performed for countless benefits and charitable functions such as Live Aid and has contributed to Greenpeace and the Vietnam Veterans.
Nash's instrumental abilities paled in comparison to those of Stills, Young and Crosby, but his vocal talent and gift for songwriting made him just as essential a member of the band. He wrote such popular CSN songs as Marrakesh Express, Just A Song Before I Go, Teach Your Children and Wasted On the Way. In 1971, Nash released a solo album entitled Songs For Beginners, featuring such excellent tracks as Chicago and Military Madness. In 1981, Nash reunited briefly with his old bandmates from the Hollies to perform on Tops of the Pops in Britain. They would formally reunite later that year and release a modestly successful album entitled What Goes Around, followed by and American tour.
Nash was CSN's most stable member, providing a focused center for his troubled bandmates, especially David Crosby, who credits him with being a huge part of his recovery from substance abuse. His singing and songwriting talents were an essential part of CSN's magic. Nash, a father of three, is also an avid photographer with a large and impressive collection of prints by many prominent artists. He is a regular contributor to museums and art foundations as well as his many charitable causes.
Discography
The Hollies
Crosby, Still & Nash
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
Crosby & Nash
Graham Nash
Sources:
http://www.suitelorraine.com/suitelorraine/Pages/nashdisco.html
http://www.nashnet.com
http://dspace.dial.pipex.com/town/parade/ls82/csny/nash/biography/biog.htm