David Crosby planned his funeral years in advance hoping his former bandmates would attend
SANTA YNEZ, CALIFORNIA: David Crosby’s death has left the music community in a state of shock. The legendary singer’s death on Wednesday, January 18, was announced by his wife of 36 years, Jan Dance. However, Crosby’s death has brought to light his wish for his bandmates to reunite and attend his funeral. The 'Mr. Spaceman' singer, 81, was a founding member of both the bands ‘The Byrds’ and ‘Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young.’
RadarOnline reports that the ‘father of folk-rock’ had planned his own funeral years in advance, holding on to hopes that his former bandmates will let bygones be bygones and show a united front for his final farewell. He has not been on speaking terms with any of his estranged bandmates -- Stephen Stills, Graham Nash and Neil Young -- for many years. An insider had previously spilled that while Crosby can be ‘brash and arrogant,’ his bandmates mean much more to him after working with them for 50 years. "He doesn't want to leave this earth on bad terms with them…He'd like to reconcile so they would attend his funeral." Crosby is survived by his wife and six children.
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David had planned his funeral more than three years ago when he believed he would die soon following a spade of medical conditions. "I'm probably going to die fairly soon," he said more than three years ago. "I've got a lot of stuff wrong with me." Most of them had to do with his years spent indulging in drugs. He had suffered from Hepatitis C, heart attacks and had eight stents in his bum ticker. He also underwent a liver transplant.
Crosby’s planned funeral involves a service at his horse ranch at Santa Ynez, where some of his hit tracks will be played by his oldest child, musician James Raymond. He had also wished for his ex-girlfriend Joni Mitchell to attend, along with former Byrds bandmate Roger McGuinn, Stills, Nash and Young. But their attendance was very doubtful at the times, mostly having to do with Crosby’s controversial statements about them.
However, it is said that the musical legend spent his last days making apologies to those he scorned, in an effort to mend bridges. "He's apologized to them all separately," said a source at the time. "He knows he's been an ass." The source had said that Crosby would be ‘touched’ if they could come, even if it was at the time, just a ‘pipe dream.’ He had made continued attempts to receive forgiveness from his bandmates. "It's something he's strived for, and still hopes to make happen before he goes."