Stephen Stills Reclaims His True Self: The Rock Legend’s Sobriety Triumph at 80
Rock icon Stephen Stills, the legendary voice behind Buffalo Springfield and Crosby, Stills, and Nash, is basking in the glow of three years of sobriety and feeling more like himself than ever. At 80, Stills has declared, “I’m really comfortable in sobriety,” revealing that this newfound clarity has allowed him to reconnect with the affable, friendly persona he once was before the chaos of fame and substance abuse took over. In a candid interview with Rolling Stone, he reflected on the early days of his career, nostalgic for the purity of the music-making process that was often muddied by drug use.
The turbulent history of rock and roll is littered with tales of excess, and Stills is no stranger to that narrative. His former bandmates, Graham Nash and the late David Crosby, have openly discussed their battles with addiction, offering a stark reminder of the highs and lows that often accompany artistic genius. Nash, in a revealing interview with The Guardian last year, lamented the egos that emerged as they indulged in rampant cocaine use, stating, “We may have been able to make more music if we’d not been quite so stoned.” Indeed, the ‘60s and ‘70s rock scene was characterized by a culture of drug abuse, and it took a toll on many artists, including Crosby, who turned his life around post-incarceration in the mid-‘80s before his death in January 2023.
Despite stepping back from the limelight after touring with Judy Collins in 2018, Stills is not done yet. He recently reunited with Nash for a stunning performance of “Teach Your Children” at the FireAid benefit concert, reminiscing that it felt like “putting on an old shoe again.” The joy of performing with his longtime friend illuminated his path, a stark contrast to the darker days of addiction. Now, he’s channeling his experiences into a memoir, an endeavor made easier by his sobriety. “The more things change, the more things stay the same,” he mused, proving that even in rock and roll, clarity can lead to creativity.
With Stills now fully embracing his sobriety, his story serves as a beacon of hope, demonstrating that it’s never too late to rediscover oneself and find joy in the music that once defined a generation.
Sources: Celebrity Storm and People Magazine, The Guardian, Rolling Stone
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