FANS GET A PERSONAL LOOK AT GRAHAM NASH, ONE OF ROCK’S GREATEST LUMINARIES, IN A NEW SOLO SHOW VISITING RED BANK IN MARCH

BY JON DOMENICK

Graham Nash is among a rarified cadre of musicians inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice, with two different bands The Hollies and Crosby, Stills & Nash. He also holds the distinction of being inducted two times into the Songwriters Hall of Fame (as a solo artist, as well as with CSN), in addition to being a Grammy Award winner.

Graced with one of contemporary music’s most recognizable voices, Nash can be heard harmonizing on Jackson Browne classics like “Doctor My Eyes” and “ e Pretender,” “Mexico” with James Taylor, and “All the Pretty Ponies” with Kenny Loggins.

Legend has it the Black pool, England native met David Crosby and Stephen Stills in 1966 while touring the U.S. with The Hollies, and was later introduced to the folk rockers again by the late Cass Elliot of e Mamas & the Papas. Nash left the chart topping Hollies to join Crosby and Stills, and the trio became a foursome when Neil Young came on board in 1969. Over the decades, members have split, rejoined, and gone on to compose, record, and perform as solo artists, duos, and trios on various projects.

Nash’s 50 year body of work includes Hollies hits “Stop Stop Stop,” “On A Carousel,” and “Carrie Anne.” Songs he wrote for and with CSN and CSNY band mates have become part of American culture, among them “Marrakesh Express,” “Teach Your Children,” and “Our House.” The group’s appearance at Woodstock in 1969 is one of last century’s most memorable performances, one Nash almost didn’t make due to a helicopter malfunction. Their song about the landmark music festival, “Woodstock,” also used in the concert lm, was actually composed by singer/songwriter Joni Mitchell, Nash’s girlfriend at the time (who was not at the fest, as her manager suggested that she appear on The Dick Cavett Show instead).

A peacemaker in more ways than one, Nash often gets credit for soothing his fellow rockers’ disputes and grudges, repeatedly bringing them together for the greater musical good. Social and environmental activism has also long been part of the hit maker’s resumé. He helped organized No Nukes/Musicians United for Safe Energy in the late 1970s, and renewed its e orts in 2011 to benefit Fukushima Daiichi nuclear reactor disaster relief in Japan and to propel renewable energy e orts worldwide. Also an avid and acclaimed photographer, he released his autobiography, Wild Tales (Crown Archetype), in 2013, and it made the New York Times Best Sellers list. His photographs also appear in the book Eye to Eye: Photographs by Graham Nash (Steidl, 2004), and he’s curated another volume, Taking Aim: Unforgettable Rock ‘n’ Roll Photographs Selected by Graham Nash (Chronicle Books, 2009).

Nash’s tour arrives at Red Bank’s Count Basie Theatre on March 6 for “An Intimate Evening of Songs and Stories.”

Count Basie Center for the Arts
99 Monmouth Street, Red Bank / 732.842.9000
thebasie.org / grahamnash.com