7. Crosby, Stills & NashCrosby, Stills & Nash

So this was one of those records that my mom had that I loved. I would come home from school and put it on again and again and again. It became the soundtrack of my childhood in L.A. and it’s a real California sound. I think I learned how to sing harmonies listening to them. I just love them and the ringtone to my phone is ‘Wooden Ships’.

Years later, when I was living in L.A. again, I was playing with [The Bangles’] Susannah Hoffs and she got offered a gig to play with them on the steps of the Capital in Washington for Al Gore. I think it was for a healthcare awareness thing. She took me as her bass player and we sang harmonies with them to ‘Teach Your Children’. Somewhere I tape of this exists because it was on C-SPAN on TV. I don’t think David Crosby was there because it was liver time for him.

I remember thinking, nothing’s going to come out of my voice. Of course, I was with Sue and she’s the ultimate professional and such a great singer so I was fine. I was just so happy to be doing it. You don’t have to try too hard when you’re with them. You get to hit the notes needed for the voices to blend.