Rocker Melissa Etheridge plays tribute to the late David Crosby, the ...

Melissa Etheridge has fond memories of her friend, David Crosby from Crosby, Stills & Nash, who has died. (PHOTO: Gallo Images/Getty Images)

Country-rock singer Melissa Etheridge has thanked rocker David Crosby, who died this week, for “giving me the gift of family”.

The 81-year-old singer/songwriter, who was the founder of the hugely popular folk-rock band Crosby, Stills & Nash in the 1960s and 70s, was the sperm donor for her and former partner Julie Cypher’s two children, daughter Bailey (26) and son Beckett (21). Beckett died of a drug overdose in 2020.

In a touching Instagram post, Melissa (61) wrote, “I am grieving the loss of my friend and Bailey’s and Beckett’s biological father, David. He gave me the gift of family. I will forever be grateful.”

She added his music and legacy will “inspire many generations to come”.

Melissa is also mother to twins Johnnie and Miller (16) from her former partner Tammy Lynn Michaels, using an anonymous sperm donor. 

In 2016 Melissa explained how she and Julie decided on David as the donor for her elder kids, who were both conceived by artificial insemination.

She revealed that at the time they actually considered using sperm donated by another friend, actor Brad Pitt, but “circumstances prevented it”.

Speaking to Australia’s Studio 10, she said that at the time Brad wanted to have a child of his own and she and Cypher did not want a third-party involved in raising their kid.

“I looked and I saw how badly he wanted children and I thought, ‘I don't want to share this with someone who really badly wants children because my children don't need another parent – they have two’,” the Grammy-winning artist said.

“It’s one of the reasons why David Crosby and his wife [Jan Dance] are so perfect – because they already had children. They were looking to do this as a gift.”

David died on Thursday “after a long illness”, a statement from the family read.

“He was lovingly surrounded by his wife and soulmate Jan and son Django. Although he is no longer here with us, his humanity and kind soul will continue to guide and inspire us.”

The band formed in the late 1960s and along with Crosby included American singer-songwriter Stephen Stills, English singer-songwriter Graham Nash and Canadian singer-songwriter Neil Young, who later left.

They enjoyed phenomenal success with hits such as Teach Your Children, Marrakesh Express and Long Time Gone.

In a poignant Facebook tribute, Nash reflected on their music and friendship.

“It is with a deep and profound sadness that I learned that my friend David Crosby has passed. I know people tend to focus on how volatile our relationship has been at times, but what has always mattered to David and me more than anything was the pure joy of the music we created together, the sound we discovered with one another and the deep friendship we shared over all these many long years.'

Nash said that Crosby “was fearless in life and in music” and “leaves behind a tremendous void as far as sheer personality and talent in this world”.

“He spoke his mind, his heart and his passion through his beautiful music.”

Sources: dailymail.co.uk, Instagram, Facebook, ultimateclassicrock.com