Happy B-Day Stephen Arthur

Happy Birthday to Stephen Arthur Stills who turns 74 today. Here's wishing you another 100 Stephen. Favorite guitarist, favorite band and among my favorite singers too.

My musical totem starting from that day I heard "Bluebird" for the first time 50+ years ago. That sound - growling acoustic guitars big and front and center in the mix still gets me going.

The album credits for that song read, "Guitars - Steve, Neil & Richie - all 11,386 of 'em." I've been chasing that sound ever since.

One of my faves for sure. I think "Black Queen". was my favorite. Don't know if it was original or a cover. It was never popular commercially but I liked it a lot.

richardp69 said:

One of my faves for sure. I think "Black Queen". was my favorite. Don't know if it was original or a cover. It was never popular commercially but I liked it a lot.

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Also another great liner note for that song: "Was recorded live & the performance was courtesy Jose Cuervo Gold Label Tequila."

Stills and Eric Clapton were in the studio, recording Clapton's "Let it Rain" and Stills' "Old Times Good Times". They started drinking tequila, got quite drunk, jammed for a couple of hours, then Clapton disappeared and Stills cut Black Queen.

gjmalcyon said:

My musical totem starting from that day I heard "Bluebird" for the first time 50+ years ago. That sound - growling acoustic guitars big and front and center in the mix still gets me going.

The album credits for that song read, "Guitars - Steve, Neil & Richie - all 11,386 of 'em." I've been chasing that sound ever since.

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Gotta admit, huge influence on me too.
Especially that extended version of "Bluebird" on Buffalo Springfield ( the compilation album).

And let's not forget his role in making the Monkees what they were:
He gave roommate Peter Tork a tip to go to the auditions after he was rejected himself.

Tree Top Flyer: https://youtu.be/NUmIO_MG5IU

love this live version

Interesting article, Al. I didn't know that Stephen Stills spent time in the early 60's in Greenwich Village playing in the folk music clubs.

sailingshoes72 said:

Interesting article, Al. I didn't know that Stephen Stills spent time in the early 60's in Greenwich Village playing in the folk music clubs.

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Yah. One of the reasons I love musician bios.
:smile:
When you dig back far enough, everybody knew everybody and in fact the whole "California Sound" exemplified by the Mamas and the Papas started there.

adorshki said:

And let's not forget his role in making the Monkees what they were:
He gave roommate Peter Tork a tip to go to the auditions after he was rejected himself.

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Given their different career arcs one wonders what would have happened if Stills has passed the audition?

fronobulax said:

Given their different career arcs one wonders what would have happened if Stills has passed the audition?

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Crosby Tork and Nash?
:glee:
Joking aside, Stills himself notes in the article: "I had too much of a musician's temperament" and was unlikely to have been happy in the job.
But, given that they both shared a philosophy of professionalism, that a musician's job is to perform, I think Stills would have had at least his solo career in any case.
If he'd elected to leave the Monkees as Tork did (and he was the first one in early '69), he'd have still been available in time to form Crosby Stills and Nash.
In fact CSN used to rehearse at Tork's house in Laurel Canyon, having been introduced to each other by other Canyon resident Mama Cass:

It's even said Tork loaned Crosby the money to buy his yacht in Florida after he was unceremoniously released from the Byrds.
So my guess would be that since their social circles already overlapped so much, Stills' career arc could have easily stayed the same.
After further thought though, it occurs to me that a lot of this hinges on Tork's house having been a notorious gathering spot for local musicians.
If Tork hadn't actually landed the job and been able to afford the house (which he actually sold to Stills later on) and offer so much hospitality to so many, who knows whether Stills would have met Crosby & Nash?
Or the converse, if Stills had landed the Monkees job if there even would have been a Buffalo Springfield which was his springboard to "real" success?
"For What It's Worth" is actually the tune that put him on the map.

adorshki said:

"For What It's Worth" is actually the tune that put him on the map.

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saw it on the Muppet Show when I was a kid. Stills played it solo.

adorshki said:

... if there even would have been a Buffalo Springfield which was his springboard to "real" success?

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The Buffalo Springfield were poised to be huge - they were booked on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, and had to cancel. Neil Young left the day before.

Westerly Wood said:

saw it on the Muppet Show when I was a kid. Stills played it solo.

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gjmalcyon said:

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Oh, great link! I remember that! A fairly obvious message in that scene...

walrus