The Life and Career Of Graham Nash.
Singer, songwriter and musician Graham William Nash, was born in Blackpool, Lancashire, England. His mother was evacuated from her hometown of Salford, at the outbreak of World War II. Later, though, the Nash family returned to Salford. That was where Nash met Allan Clarke. They started singing together, and later, formed a group.
This was The Hollies. They were joined in the group by bassist Eric Haydock and lead guitarist Vic Steele. Clark played guitar, harmonica and was the original vocalist.
The Hollies were booked to play a gig at Liverpool’s Cavern Club in January 1963. That night, they were spotted by Ron Richards, an assistant producer at Parlophone. He had worked on the first Beatles’ session. Richards was so impressed by The Hollies that he offered them an audition with Parlophone. However, guitarist Vic Steele didn’t want to become a professional musician and left the group.
Straight away, Tony Hicks was approached by Allan Clarke and Graham Nash to become Steele’s replacement.
Later in April 1963, The Hollies travelled to London for a test recording session with Parlophone staff producer Ron Richards. The group impressed Richards and they signed a contract with Parlophone. Richards would become their producer, and played an important part in the group’s success.
Unlike many groups, success came quickly for The Hollies. ‘(Ain’t That) Just Like Me’ was The Hollies’ debut single, and reached twenty-five in the UK in 1963. Their next two singles were covers. Leiber and Stoller’s ‘Searchin’’ reached number twelve in the UK, then Maurice Williams’ ‘Stay’ reached number eight giving The Hollies’ their biggest hit. Things would get better in 1964.
Their debut album ‘Stay With The Hollies’ reached number two in the UK. Little did the group realise that it would be the most successful of their twenty-one studio albums.
Later in 1964, The Hollies released their cover of ‘Just One Look’ which was released as a single by Doris Troy in 1963. She cowrote the song using her pen name Doris Payne with Gregory Carroll. The Hollies cover reached number two in the UK, ninety-eight in the US Billboard 100 and gave the group a hit in Australia, New Zealand, Ireland and Sweden. This was a taste of what was to come for the group.
‘Here I Go Again’ was released in May 1964, reaching number four in the UK and again, giving the group a hit in Australia, New Zealand and Sweden. Just a year after their test recording session for Parlophone, they had already enjoyed five hits in the UK including ‘Just One Look.’
By then, Clarke, Hicks and Nash were regularly writing songs together. This included ‘What Kind Of Love’ and ‘When I’m Not There’ with Clarke and Hicks. The trio also wrote songs using the nom de plum Lee Ransford. Ransford was the name of one of Nash’s grandparents. The songs they cowrote were ‘You’ll Be Mine,’ ‘Time For Love,’ ‘To You My Love,’ ‘We’re Through,’ ‘Set Me Free’ and ‘Please Don’t Feel Too Bad.’ None of these songs have ever been released.
The Hollies’ sophomore album ‘In The Hollies Style’ was released in 1964, but failed to chart. Six of the tracks were written by the group.
1965 was a big year for The Hollies. ‘I’m Alive’ gave their first and only number one single. It was a hit across the world. They also enjoyed top ten singles in the UK with ‘Yes I Will” and ‘Look Through Any Window.’ This success continued when their album ‘Would You Believe?’ reached number eight in the UK and 145 in the US Billboard 200. The Hollies were one of the British Invasion bands whose popularity was growing in the US.
By the mid-sixties, Clarke, Hicks and Nash were writing many of The Hollies’ songs. This included some of the biggest singles they released in the UK between 1965 and 1967. ‘Stop! Stop! Stop!’ reached number two; ‘On A Carousel’ number four, ‘Carrie Anne’ number three and ‘King Midas In Reverse’ number eighteen. The trio had the Midas touch when it came to songwriting, and The Hollies were one of Britain’s most successful musical exports.
Ironically, they didn’t write one of their biggest hits, ‘Bus Stop.’ It was penned by Graham Gouldman, who later, would find fame with 10CC. The single was a hit worldwide, and reached number five in the UK and US Billboard 100 in 1965. It was the group’s biggest hit in the US.
When The Everly Brothers recorded their ‘Two Yanks In England’ album in 1966, the album featured eight songs written by Clarke, Hicks and Nash. The trio had forged a successful songwriting partnership. However, the songwriting partnership would soon come to an end.
In 1968, Nash left the group. Hicks had suggested the group record a tribute album to Bob Dylan. Nash wasn’t in favour of recording what became ‘Hollies Sing Dylan,’ which was released in 1969. This was just one of a number of reasons why Nash left The Hollies and joined forces David Crosby and Stephen Stills.
Nash had first met Crosby and Stills when The Hollies toured the US during 1966. Then in 1968, Cass Elliot, a friend of Nash and Crosby, formally introduced the pair in Laurel Canyon, Los Angeles. Upon leaving The Hollies, Crosby, Still and Nash (CSN) formed a trio.
In 1969, CSN released their eponymous debut album. Nash contributed three songs including the hit single ‘Marrakesh Express.’ The album was certified four times platinum, sold 6,500,000 copies worldwide and won a Grammy Award in 1970 for Best New Artist. Nash’s decision to leave The Hollies was vindicated. However, soon, three became four.
Neil Young joined the folk rock group before they recorded their sophomore album Déjà Vu in 1970. Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young’s (CSNY) first album took 800 hours to record. However, the effort was worthwhile. The album featured two hit singles, including ‘Teach Your Children,’ penned by Nash, topped the US Billboard 200 chart and was certified platinum seven times over. It looked the group was going to be one of the biggest of the seventies.
Especially when CSN’s live album, ‘4 Way Street’ was released in April 1971 and topped the US Billboard 200 chart. It was certified four times platinum four times over. However, the group split-up in 1974.
Meanwhile, had Nash embarked upon a solo career. His debut album, ‘Songs For Beginners,’ was released in 1971 and featured an all-star cast. The album was well received and was certified gold. That was as good as it got for Nash as a solo artist.
Then in 1972, Nash and Stills released the first of four studio albums. Their debut was ‘Graham Nash David Crosby.’ Nash wrote six of the eleven songs on the album. It was released to critical acclaim and was certified gold. So was 1975s ‘Wind On the Water’ and 1976s ‘Whistling Down the Wire.’ The only disappointment was when ‘Crosby-Nash’ stalled at fifty-two on the US Billboard 200.
Meanwhile, Nash’s sophomore solo album ‘Wild Tales,’ released in 1974, had failed to replicate the success of his debut. This would be a familiar story. However, a number of Nash’s solo albums are oft-overlooked hidden gems.
1977 saw the release of ‘CSN. It reached number two in the US Billboard 200, and was certified four times platinum in the US. Nash penned what is the group’s biggest hit single, ‘Just A Song Before I Go.’ Despite all this success, it was five years before the group returned with another album.
Nash released two albums during the eighties, 1980s ‘Earth and Fire’ and 1986s ‘Innocent Eyes.’ This was his last album for sixteen years.
During that period, CSN released ‘Daylight Again’ in 1982. It was certified platinum. The 1983 live album ‘Allies’ sold a million worldwide. Then CSNY’s 1988 album ‘American Dream’ was certified gold. Never again would another of their albums be as successful. This included the three other studio albums the group released, 1990s ‘Live It Up,’ 1994s ‘After The Storm’ and 1999s Looking Forward.’
In April 2002, Nash released his first studio album in sixteen years, ‘Songs For Survivors.’ It was a welcome return, but still commercial success eluded him.
Two years later, in 2004, Crosby and Nash their eponymous double album. Sadly, it was the final studio album they, or CSNY released.
Nash released his sixth solo album, ‘This Path Tonight’ in 2016. It was one of the most powerful and emotional albums he had released. Six years later, he released Live: Songs For Beginners/Wild Tales in 2022. The following year, 2023, Nash released ‘Now.’ Some songs were full of social and political comments, while others were love songs about his wife. Sixty years after The Hollies had enjoyed their first hit, Nash was still making music that was beautiful, powerful and relevant.
By then, Nash was aged eighty-one, and had come a long way since he formed The Hollies with his friend Allan Clarke. For five years, he had enjoyed success with The Hollies, and cowrote some of their biggest hits.
Then when he left the group and joined CSN, who then became CSNY, Nash enjoyed huge success. The group sold over seventy million albums. Nash played an important part in the group’s success, writing some of their best known songs. This included ‘Marrakesh Express,’ ‘Teach Your Children,’ ‘Our House’ and ‘Just a Song Before I Go.’
When the group was on hiatus, Crosby and Nash released a trio of albums that were released to plaudits and praise and certified gold between 1971 and 1976. They feature the duo at their best.
Nash has also released seven solo album. His debut ‘Songs For Beginners’ was certified gold and is regarded as his finest album. However, some of Nash’s other albums are hidden gems.
He’s a truly talented singer, songwriter and musician. A reminder of this is the music Nash made with The Hollies, CSN, CSNY and Stephen Stills over a sixty year period. Nash, who won a Grammy Award with CSN, and is also one of the few musicians to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice, first as a member of CSN, and then in 2010 as a member of The Hollies. It’s almost an understatement to say that Nash has enjoyed a long and illustrious career. However, that’s the case. Graham Nash was one of Britain’s music successful musical exports, and his songs are powerful, sometimes full of political and social comment, and other times, beautiful love songs that are truly timeless.
The Life and Career Of Graham Nash.
