Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular Music

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STILLS, Stephen

(b 3 Jan. '45, Dallas TX) Singer, guitarist, songwriter. Left U of Florida to work NYC folk circuit with little success; met Richie Furay with Au Go-Go Singers and formed Buffalo Springfield with him, having first flown to LA to form an abortive band with Van Dyke Parks. (He also auditioned for the Monkees; the story was that his teeth weren't pretty enough: Mike Nesmith got the part.) He wrote many of Buffalo's songs, the most famous 'For What It's Worth'. When they split '68 he made Supersession with Al Kooper and Mike Bloomfield, which sparked a rash of collaborative LPs by big stars (e.g. Triumvirate etc), in retrospect very loose jam sessions. He sessioned with Judy Collins (and fell in love), also Jimi Hendrix, Joni Mitchell; then joined Crosby, Stills and Nash, with ex-Byrd David Crosby, ex-Hollie Graham Nash, soon joined by ex-Buffalo Neil Young to make CSN&Y. It was one of the most successful groups of the era in both critical and commercial terms; as it ended he made his first (eponymous) solo LP, released '70: it was a creative tour-de-force and incl. hit single 'Love The One You're With' (no. 14 USA, 37 UK '70--71): even the presence of superstar friends Hendrix, John Sebastian, Eric Clapton didn't intrude. Stephen Stills 2 '71 disappointed by comparison, indicating a need for collaborators after all to bounce ideas off. He formed Manassas, with Calvin 'Fuzzy' Samuels, bass; Dallas Taylor, drums; Paul Harris, keyboards; Al Perkins, steel guitar; Joe Lala, percussion; Chris Hillman on guitar: though Manassas and Down The Road '72- -3 have not worn well, the mix of rock, Latin, country and blues was considered innovative at the time. Hillman was a major talent to have in the band, but he left to form the Souther/Hillman/Furay Band '73, taking Perkins and Harris with him (another much-vaunted supergroup which folded after two disappointing LPs). Stills re-formed CSN&Y: concerts helped the bank balance but there were no recordings. He switched to Columbia from Atlantic for Stills '75, the debut of his new right-hand man, guitarist Donnie Decus (later joined Chicago). But the songwriting freshness had been lost, though his guitar was still impressive (he could also play bass, drums and keyboards). Illegal Stills '76 was better, but he linked with Young once more for Long May You Run '76, which began as a CSN&Y LP, but Crosby's and Nash's contributions were erased after altercations, then Young walked off the subsequent tour: they never worked together again. CS&N regrouped, released albums; Stills solos continued with Throughfare Gap '78 but remained uninspired. Underestimated as a guitarist (described as the best wah-wah player since Hendrix), his best chance for solo stardom would have been to cash in on CSN&Y's phenomenal popularity and carry on writing love songs; as it is he has taken part in some of the best West Coast pop of all time.