Tom Grace
The Daily Star
Rock `n’ roll returned to
Doubleday Field in Cooperstown
on Friday night as
Crosby, Stills & Nash performed
before some 3,000
fans.
Formed 40 years ago,
this trio of singer-songwriters
is renowned for beautiful
harmonies and social
consciousness.
Both were on display
Friday from the Rock and
Roll Hall of Famers, who
came of age in the ’60s, protesting
war and convention.
Many in the audience
grew up in the same era,
and when the band asked
them to sing along, they
knew the words.
Otsego County Rep.
Greg Relic of Unadilla was
singing, as was Bassett
Healthcare executive Mike
Stein of Cooperstown and
Edmeston High School
Principal Martha Windsor.
``One of the greatest studio
bands ever, but this is
the first time I’ve seen them
in concert,’’ Stein said.
Younger fans, such as
Norwich High School students
Katie Orioli, Kristi
Orioli and Chrissy Stroh,
swayed to the music as
well.
``I wanted to see them
because I have a couple of
their songs,’’ said Kristi.
Starting with ``Helplessly
Hoping,’’ CSN drew ovations
with their old favorites.
But they borrowed, too,
playing covers of ``Ruby
Tuesday,’’ ``A Reason to Believe,’’
and Jerry Garcia’s
``Uncle John’s Band.’’
``Just a great show,’’ said
Jeff Katz, Cooperstown’s
deputy mayor and a driving
force behind the concert.
The sun was beginning
to set as the music started,
but it was dark by the second
set, and much of the
audience packed in toward
the stage.
``We’re going to sing every
song we can remember
the words to,’’ Nash said.
``For Crosby, that’s about
three.’’
But they played much
more, and the audience
sang with them, cheering
loudly for performances of
``Southern Cross’’ and ``Long
Time Gone.’’
Cooperstown has been
bringing big-name talent to
Doubleday Field since 2004,
when a Willie Nelson-Bob
Dylan concert sold out at
this ballpark, which seats
about 10,000.
That smash inaugural
concert was followed in
2005 with an incarnation of
the Beach Boys and Herman’s
Hermits.
In 2006, Paul Simon performed
here on the Fourth
of July and Dylan returned
to play on Labor Day weekend.
No band was booked in
2007 or 2008, but promoter
Stuart Green, who operates
Magic City Productions in
Endicott, stayed in touch
with village officials.
``He was looking for an
act that would work well
for us,’’ Katz said.
Crosby, Stills & Nash,
who began their tour with a
sold-out concert in St. Louis
last week, were always a
possibility, and the deal
was finalized months ago.
For hosting the band,
Cooperstown receives
$10,000, plus $2 per ticket
sold by the Cooperstown
Chamber of Commerce.
As in past concerts, the
Cooperstown Fire Department
operated the concessions,
an important moneymaker
for the volunteers.
Crosby, Stills & Nash
was formed in 1969, and 40
years ago this August, the
band played at Woodstock.
Over the years, David
Crosby, Stephen Stills and
Graham Nash have pursued
solo careers and periodically
regrouped — sometimes
with Neil Young — to
produce their unique fusion
of sounds.
Even before they met
through mutual friends
Joni Mitchell and Cass Elliot,
they were well-known,
with Crosby the Byrd’s
rhythm guitarist, Stills a
singer and lead guitarist
for Buffalo Springfield, and
Nash a vocalist with the
Hollies.
