How did Crosby, Stills and Nash find each other?

In the book The Tipping Point, Malcom Gladwell called individuals who know a lot of people and introduce various individuals “connectors.” Think of it like a huge rolodex of acquaintances and friends that you know (or thousands of contacts on your smartphone). When connectors meet someone new, they have the ability to “connect” that person with someone else with similar interests, likes, or maybe a common goal or skill.

Psychotherapist and author Mary Jaksch says “As a Connector we can focus on connecting others with each other, as well as creating groups where people feel at home.”

Joni Mitchell was a connector. Cass Elliott was a connector. In their own ways and independently, these two amazing people would bring together people from various groups and introduce them together. Whether “connectors” do this with intent doesn’t matter. They just sense how people or a group might work together. And Cass Elliot was famous for saying. “I know someone you should meet.”

With Joni Mitchell, that often also spilled into her romantic life. Upon first arriving in California, Joni dated David Crosby. He got her a record deal and was the main reason she came to L.A., producing her first album. Cass Elliott, who also lived in Laurel Canyon, invited the two of them to a party and that led to Cass introducing Crosby to Stephen Stills.

Elliott would later introduce a young British singer from the Hollies to David Crosby, who would in turn introduce him to his friend Stephen Stills. That was of course Graham Nash.

But probably Joni Mitchell’s biggest contribution as a music connector would come from a small gesture which had a huge and lasting impact. In 1968, after David Crosby and Joni had broken up, she met Graham Nash in Ottawa when he was still with the Hollies. At this time, Graham had wanted to write more interesting material and had started to drift from the band he co-founded. Then Joni came along and within a year, Graham was moving from London to L.A. to live with Mitchell. One evening Joni said to Graham, something along the lines of, “I’ve invited two of my friends over for dinner. I think you’ll like them, they sing too.”

The two friends were Stephen Stills and David Crosby and both were now “free agents” after leaving Buffalo Springfield and The Byrds. They had been jamming together frequently.

During that dinner, David told Stephen to sing a new song he had written called, “Helplessly Hoping.” The harmonies between the two were captivating. Graham asked them to sing it again and soon he was adding a third harmonic line to the song. Graham recalls that they didn't even finish getting half way through the song before they all burst out laughing from the pure joy of this musical discovery.

And just like that, Crosby, Stills and Nash were born. Thank you Joni. Thank you Mama Cass.

Malcom Gladwell would be proud.

Learn more about this story and others that helped to shape one of our first supergroups—Crosby Stills Nash & Young. Part one of a two part series begins on Monday, September 25th. Join me for the “Marrakesh Express” and get ready to tap your feet. It will be Déjà Vu’ all over again with song after amazing song.

Check it out here and use promo code Sept2023 for 20% off any class this month.

Have a great Saturday. Rob

TheRockandRollProfessor.com