Stephen Stills

American guitarist, singer and songwriter known for Buffalo Springfield, Crosby, Stills & Nash and Manassas, and for a run of solo albums on Atlantic.

Origin: Dallas, Texas
Years active: 1963-
Genres: folk rock, rock, country rock
Labels: Atlantic, Columbia

From folk circuits to Buffalo Springfield

Stephen Stills was born in Dallas, Texas, on January 3, 1945, and moved often as a child, absorbing blues, folk and Latin music in Florida, Louisiana, Costa Rica, the Panama Canal Zone and El Salvador. After leaving Louisiana State University he played in bands, sang at Gerde's Folk City in Greenwich Village and joined the Au Go Go Singers, whose members included Richie Furay. A Canadian tour with a spin-off group, the Company, brought him together with Neil Young.

In 1966 Stills, Furay, Young, Bruce Palmer and Dewey Martin formed Buffalo Springfield in Los Angeles. Stills wrote For What It's Worth, recorded on December 5, 1966, which peaked at No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100. The band split in May 1968. Stills then made Super Session with Al Kooper, a No. 12 album in the US, and played on several Joni Mitchell albums.

Crosby, Stills & Nash and the first solo albums

In late 1968 Stills joined David Crosby and Graham Nash. Sessions for the debut album began in February 1969 at Wally Heider's Studio 3 in Los Angeles, with Stills playing virtually every instrument apart from the drums, Crosby's rhythm guitar and Nash's acoustic guitar and percussion. Suite: Judy Blue Eyes was among the songs; the album reached No. 6 in the US and the trio won the Grammy for Best New Artist. With Young added, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young made Déjà Vu in 1970, a No. 1 album in the US to which Stills contributed "Carry On" and "4 + 20". The quartet split after the second tour ended in July 1970, and Stills moved to England.

His first solo album, Stephen Stills, was recorded mainly at Island Studios in London, with guests including Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, Cass Elliot and Ringo Starr. "Love the One You're With" reached No. 14 and the album No. 3. Stephen Stills 2 followed on June 30, 1971. Recorded at Criteria Studios in Miami with the Albert Brothers, it grew out of 23 songs Stills had written and recorded for a planned double album, and it added the Memphis Horns. It reached No. 8, and its singles "Change Partners" and "Marianne" reached Nos. 43 and 42.

Manassas

On the road in 1971 Stills met Chris Hillman. He invited Hillman, Al Perkins and the fiddler Byron Berline to jam at Criteria, and with Dallas Taylor, Calvin "Fuzzy" Samuel, Paul Harris and Joe Lala the group recorded enough in several weeks to fill a double album. Manassas came out in April 1972 and took its name from the Virginia town where the band posed for the cover photograph. Arranged as four themed sides, it moved between rock, Latin, country, bluegrass and blues, reached No. 4 in the US and was certified Gold on May 30, 1972. The band toured the world through 1972.

Down the Road followed in April 1973, with sessions moving from Miami to Caribou Ranch in Colorado and Los Angeles. It peaked at No. 26. The band dissolved after its tour ended in October 1973, and in 1974 Stills joined Crosby, Nash and Young for a reunion stadium tour.

Later work and recognition

Stills signed to Columbia in late 1974 and made Stills (1975), Illegal Stills (1976) and Thoroughfare Gap (1978). Crosby, Stills & Nash reunited for the 1977 album CSN, and Daylight Again (1982) reached No. 8 in the US with the top twenty hit "Southern Cross". Right by You (1984) was his last solo release on a major label. In 1997 he became the first person inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice on the same night, with Crosby, Stills and Nash and with Buffalo Springfield.

The 2007 release Just Roll Tape collected solo demos he had recorded in April 1968. He made Can't Get Enough with the Rides in 2013 and Everybody Knows with Judy Collins in 2017. Rolling Stone placed him at No. 28 in its 2003 list of the greatest guitarists and at No. 47 in 2011. On January 30, 2025, he joined Dawes at the FireAid concert in Los Angeles for "For What It's Worth".

Records

Stephen Stills 1970 · Atlantic
A debut solo album made in London and Los Angeles between CSNY tours, with Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton among the guests.
Stephen Stills 2 1971 · Atlantic
A second solo album recorded in Miami in marathon sessions, with the Memphis Horns, Nils Lofgren and Jerry Garcia.
Manassas 1972 · Atlantic
A four-sided double album by the band Stills formed with Chris Hillman, moving from rock and Latin music to country, bluegrass and blues.
Down the Road 1973 · Atlantic
The second and last studio album by Manassas, recorded in three studios and met with mixed reviews.

Songs

Love the One You're With Stephen Stills · 1970
The lead single from Stills' first solo album and his biggest solo hit, built on a phrase borrowed from Billy Preston.
Sit Yourself Down Stephen Stills · 1970
A gospel-flavored song on Stills' first album, released as the follow-up single.
Change Partners Stephen Stills 2 · 1971
The opening track and first single of Stephen Stills 2, with Jerry Garcia on pedal steel.
For What It's Worth 1966
Stills' song for Buffalo Springfield, written after the Sunset Strip curfew riots of November 1966.
Suite: Judy Blue Eyes 1969
A multi-part song written by Stills that opened the first Crosby, Stills & Nash album.

Crosby, Stills & Nash, Buffalo Springfield, Neil Young, Chris Hillman, Jimi Hendrix

Where to go next

Reference

Stephen Stills Career overview from Buffalo Springfield through the 2020s.
Manassas (band) How the band formed, its two albums and why it ended in 1973.
Manassas (album) Recording story, track listing, personnel and reception for the 1972 double album.
Stephen Stills (album) Guests, sessions and reception for the 1970 debut.
Stephen Stills 2 The Miami sessions and the Memphis Horns tour.
Down the Road Track listing and sessions for the 1973 Manassas album.
March 15, 1970: Jimi was recruited by Stephen Stills The Hendrix site's entry on the Island Studios session for "Old Times Good Times".
Stephen Stills at the Grammys Nominations and the win listed under his name.
Buffalo Springfield at the Rock Hall The 1997 induction, with Tom Petty's speech and the all-star performance.
Crosby, Stills and Nash at the Rock Hall The 1997 induction page with James Taylor's essay and acceptance speeches.

Writing and criticism

Inside Buffalo Springfield's classic protest song David Browne on the Sunset Strip riots and how Stills wrote "For What It's Worth".
50 Years Ago: Stephen Stills Leaves CSNY Behind Ultimate Classic Rock on the debut album and its guests.
Just Roll Tape review Uncut's 2007 review of the 1968 solo demos.
Consumer Guide: Stephen Stills Robert Christgau's grades and reviews for the early solo albums.

Interviews

Classic Tracks: Suite: Judy Blue Eyes Richard Buskin's Sound On Sound feature with engineer Bill Halverson on recording the song.

Sources

Stephen Stills, Wikipedia
Classic Tracks: Crosby, Stills & Nash 'Suite: Judy Blue Eyes', Sound On Sound (2010-08)
For What It's Worth: Inside Buffalo Springfield's Classic Protest Song, Rolling Stone (2016-11-11)
50 Years Ago: Stephen Stills Leaves CSNY Behind, With a Little Help, Ultimate Classic Rock (2015-11-16)
Stephen Stills: Just Roll Tape, April 26th 1968, Uncut (2007-08-02)
Stephen Stills, Consumer Guide, Robert Christgau
Stephen Stills, Recording Academy