Drummer Dallas Taylor died on Sunday (January 19) of unknown causes in a Los Angeles hospital. He was 66.
Taylor was best known for his association with supergroup Crosby, Stills & Nash, playing on their 1969 debut, appearing at Woodstock and getting a cover credit on the next year’s follow-up, ‘Déjà Vu’, by which time the band were known as Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. He also played with Stephen Stills in his backing bands and Mannassas.
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.”
Among those paying tribute were former Guns N’ Roses drummer Matt Sorum and Brian Jonestown Massacre’s Anton Newcombe, who said he owes his life to Taylor for helping him with drug dependency. Since a 1990 liver transplant, Taylor had worked as an addiction counsellor specialising in interventions and in reuniting alcoholics and addicts with their families.
God Bless #dallastaylor #rip
a great man, A great friend pic.twitter.com/hkrVQtoI5Y— matt sorum (@mattsorum) January 19, 2015
I'm really sad to report my friend Dallas Taylor passed away.i owe him my life as he helped me kick dope. RIP DALLAS pic.twitter.com/XaEXp7p4rF
— anton newcombe (@antonnewcombe) January 18, 2015
Taylor’s death comes just days after the passing of bassist Tim Drummond, who also performed with CSNY. Drummond died on January 10.