Stephen Stills and Graham Nash are paying tribute to their late manager Elliot Roberts, who died Friday morning (June 21) at age 76.
During his tenure, Roberts guided the careers of Stills; Joni Mitchell; Bob Dylan; Tom Petty; Buffalo Springfield; Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young; and of course, Neil Young.
Stills remembers his manager as “probably the kindest, gentlest, and far and away the funniest man I ever worked with in show business. He was also tough as a barbed wire fence, fiercely loyal and keenly observant.”
The musician adds that Roberts “possessed a unique ability to recognize a great artist when he saw one. His natural empathy was perfectly suited for his emergence as an enormously impactful personal manager to a collection of the most legendary artists of our time.”
Nash also remembers Roberts as “a funny, brilliant friend and devoted manager. His life touched many people, and he brought forth the best in people. He was the glue that kept CSNY together in our early years and I will certainly miss him with sadness in my heart.”
In 1967, Roberts formed Lookout Management with agent David Geffen, and eventually created Asylum Records, which signed major artists like the Eagles.
He is survived by his sons Jason, Ethan, Matthew and Zackary, and partner Dana Fineman.