Dallas Taylor died on Sunday [January 19] of unknown causes in a Los Angeles hospital. He was 66.
Taylor [pictured, right] was best known for his association with Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, but his credits also include Van Morrison and Paul Butterfield’s band.
News of Taylor’s death was reported by his partner, Patti McGovern Taylor, on Facebook. She wrote: “To me he was just a Good Man, a Good Friend, a Good Father, a Good Grandfather or Pop Pop, a Great Drummer and much beloved by many.”
Born in Denver, Taylor moved to California in 1967, where his band Clear Light signed to Elektra Records.
In the late 1960s, he met Stephen Stills. In 1969, Taylor was invited to drum with Crosby, Stills & Nash on their debut album. He stayed with the band as they added Neil Young to the line-up and performed with them at Woodstock and on their Déjà Vu album.
After CSNY, Taylor played in Stills’ band, Manassas. He also performed with Van Morrison at the 1974 Montreux Jazz Festival.
In 1990, he underwent a liver transplant. After leaving music, he worked as a drug and alcohol interventionist in Los Angeles.
Among those paying tribute were former Guns N’ Roses drummer Matt Sorum and Brian Jonestown Massacre’s Anton Newcome, who said he owes his life to Taylor for helping him with drug dependency.
Taylor’s death comes soon after the passing of Tim Drummond, who played bass with CSNY, Neil Young and Bob Dylan.