Singer-songwriter Melissa Etheridge honored the late rocker David Crosby on Thursday for “giving me the gift of family.”
Crosby, who died on Wednesday aged 81 after a long illness, was the sperm donor father to two of Etheridge’s four children.
“I will be forever grateful to him, [son] Django and[soția]January His music and legacy will inspire many generations to come,” Oscar and Grammy winner Etheridge wrote in an emotional tribute on Instagram with a photo of the two of them. “A real treasure,” she added.[wife}JanHismusicandlegacywillinspiremanygenerationstocome”EtheridgeanOscarandGrammywinnerwroteinatouchingtributeonInstagramwithaphotoofthetwoofthem“Atruetreasure”sheadded[wife}JanHismusicandlegacywillinspiremanygenerationstocome”EtheridgeanOscarandGrammywinnerwroteinatouchingtributeonInstagramwithaphotoofthetwoofthem“Atruetreasure”sheadded
The rock legend of the Byrds and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young was the sperm donor for Etheridge’s daughter Bailey Jean Cypher (b. 1997) and son Beckett Cypher (b. 1998) with her former partner, director Julie Cypher.
Etheridge and Cypher kept the identity of the children’s biological father a secret for years. The couple revealed their identity in a 2000 interview with Rolling Stone.
Etheridge said she and Cypher ran into friends Crosby and his wife, Jan, while on vacation in Hawaii, and the subject of children came up. Etheridge and Cypher have spoken about their desire to have children with a sperm donor. “And Jan said, ‘What about David?'” Etheridge told the magazine.
“It came from her, which was the best and most perfect way,” Etheridge recalled. It was important that Crosby was “musical” and had “his own life … his own family,” she said.
Crosby said he didn’t hesitate.
“Melissa and Julie are good people,” he told Rolling Stone. “Nice set of values, they’re funnier than shit, and they have guts. All rare things. You could see they were in love with each other.”
Beckett died in 2020 at the age of 21. His death was due to opioid addiction, Etheridge said in a statement at the time.
Etheridge and partner Tammy Lynn Michaels also have 16-year-old twins, son Miller Steven and daughter Johnnie Rose Etheridge.
Legendary rocker Neil Young paid tribute to his former Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young bandmate on Saturday.
“David is gone, but his music lives on. The soul of CSNY, David’s voice and energy were at the heart of our band,” he said in a statement on his website.
“His great songs represented what we believe in and it was always fun and exciting when we got to play together,” he added. “My heart goes out to Jan and Django, his wife and son. Much love to you. Thanks David for your spirit and songs, I love you man. I remember the best times! no.”
