Undressing Rock & Rolls Most Famous Cover-Up: Stephen & Neil’s Shared Sweater (Serape)

Crosby Stills Nash YoungWoodstock - 1969photo by Barry Levine

Editor: In honor of National Sweater Day, we bring you an exclusive investigation into Stephen Stills and Neil Young's late 60's "sweater phase" by our "Mild Mannered Reporter in Chicago" John Kwit.

Happy National Sweater Day!

Peace

INTRODUCTION by John Kwit: This article is written to celebrate National Sweater Day which, if you believe what you read on the internet, is either February 4 or 5. 

The prose is meant to bring a smile and peace to those who are stressed out over current events.  Chill out, we can’t even agree what day National Sweater Day falls on but that’s ok.  Enjoying this story is also cheaper than visiting a therapist so sit back, read and study the pictures.  For those in the audience who are nit-picky let’s get one thing out of the way: I refer to the garment celebrated in this article as a sweater.  There is no National Serape Day that I’m aware of.  When you create National Serape Day we’ll talk.  

My apologies to the photographers whose images are unidentified.  I was on a tight deadline for my favorite editor. 

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Undressing Rock & Rolls Most Famous Cover-Up:

Stephen & Neil’s Shared Sweater (Serape)

Stills Crosby Nash Woodstock - 1969photo by Henry Diltz

So where do we start?  

Well with CSNY the logical date is August 18, 1969.  CSNY are about to step on a stage at Woodstock before a crowd of 500,00 people to perform their third concert ever - the first two were in Chicago at the Auditorium Theater.  Interestingly, I’ve never seen documented photos from either of their 1 night/2 show Chicago gigs so if you are aware of any send them to Thrasher so he can share them with the world.  It must have been a little bit cool at Woodstock in the predawn hours as the boys ambled on stage.  For this auspicious occasion, Stephen Stills decided to wear a dark blue/white striped sweater (serape).  It looks like it is made of heavy, thick cotton, enough to keep the cold winds at bay. 

Here’s where my questions begin: Did the sweater originally belong to Stephen and where did he obtain it?  Neil was more into the fringe buckskin coat style, so my guess is it was Stephens.  I can picture Stephen walking into a Laurel Canyon second-hand clothes store where the incense is burning and the red-oil lava lamps are bubbling. “Hey man how much is that serape you got hanging on the wall?  $5.75? Cool, I’ll take it.” 

It became readily apparent that this sweater must have been one of his favorite items to wear because after Woodstock I don’t think he took it off much.  Stephen is donning it the following day on the Dick Cavett TV Show.

Stephen & Joni Mitchell on the Dick Cavett show the day after Woodstock 1969

 Stephen & Joni @ Big Sur Folk Festival 1969 

photo by Jim Marshall

Jack Robinson was a New York based photographer so my best guess is that he took these promo photos of CSNY soon after the Dick Cavett show while the boys were still in town before the band headed out to play the Greek Theater in Los Angeles, California.  Once again, Stephen is wearing his striped sweater!

Stephen Stills

In September 1969, Stephen has the famous sweater on for a CSNY performance on the Music Scene TV show and then in California at the Big Sur Folk Festival.

Stephen with CSNY September 1969 

The Music Scene TV show (Manager Elliot Roberts in bottom left )

At some point in time, Neil Young enters the sweater story.  He’s been watching Stephen wearing this sweater constantly for the last month.  He might not have appreciated it right away, but at some point it probably dawned on him: “Man that is one d*mn, groovy sweater.  The chicks seem to dig it.  If I could only pry it off him.  I’ve got to see if he’ll let me wear it around town some day.”  So perhaps the conversation between the two of them went something like this:

Neil: Hey, man, I’ve been meaning to tell you that that is one cool sweater you’ve been wearing almost daily for the past month.  I’d hate for it to get too grungy. Why don’t you let me take it into the dry cleaners for you?

Stephen: Wha? Hey, you’re my brother and that’s an outta sight offer.  Let me take it off for you.  In fact, before you take it to the cleaners why don’t you try it on and see if you like it.  Like David says, what’s mine is yours so yeah, go ahead and wear it around for awhile.  If you can give it back before our next gig that’d be cool ‘cus it just gives me this comforting feeling when I wear it on stage, like a security blanket.

Neil: Right on, that’s boss, brother.  Man this fits like a glove what do you think?  Far out, huh?  I’ll take good care of it, that’s for sure.  I’m just gonna’ grab some bread from the community jar on the counter in case I decide to bring it the cleaners early.  Gotta’ run. Eat a peach.  See you in a few days.

The next thing you know, Neil is sporting the sweater all over town.  It was used for a promo photo as well as a 45 rpm single sleeve if I’m not mistaken.

Neil Young

At some point, Neil either willingly or begrudgingly returned the sweater to Stephen.  That’s what brothers do.  The last photo I could locate shows Stephen wearing the sweater to promote his first ever solo tour in 1971.  His bandmates included Dallas Taylor, Paul Harris, Calvin Fuzzy Samuel and Stephen Fromholz along with the Memphis horns (Wayne Jackson and Andrew Love).  It is sad to note that all those talented individuals have passed away with the exception of Fuzzy Samuel.  If you know your CSNY-related history, the first three men went on to become part of Stephen Stills’ band Manassas and Fuzzy was CSNY’s bass player in the studio and on tour in 1970, contributing to many of their greatest moments together including recording Neil’s song Ohio and their live performances on the album Four Way Street.

Stephen & Neil

Stephen Concert poster for 1971 tour

I have the honor of knowing Fuzzy and I called him about this article to see if he remembered Stephen or Neil wearing the sweater.  He did.  He did not wear it himself, and does not recall any other member of the CSNY family wearing it. 

Now for a shameless challenge to Stephen Stills: I’m assuming the next edition of your  Light Up the Blues Concert for Autism Awareness is coming up soon in April.  How come Fuzzy isn’t on your artist invite list?  The man still has the talent and chops to play.  To have Fuzzy, you and Neil on the same stage making joyful music for a worthy cause would be an awesome sight and make for a truly memorable night.  I’d even fly out from Chicago to take it in.  Cue up the next Thrasher’s Wheat exclusive article.

The sweater disappeared from Stephen’s wardrobe for four decades or so.  My guess is he has a decent sized closet to store things in.   The last time I saw Rock and Rolls most famous sweater was when I viewed it behind plexiglass at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (HOF) in Cleveland, Ohio.  I don’t know if it is still on display there or not.  Regardless, when in Cleveland never pass on the opportunity to visit the HOF as it is simply amazing to view all of the artifacts on display.  You could spend a week there and still not take it all in.

The two people with the real story to tell behind the sweater are Stephen and Neil.  Perhaps their “people” will share this article with them.  One or both of them can write directly to Thrasher and tell their side of the sweater story.

Neil with new sweater by DHLOVELIFE

Happy National Sweater Day!

Peace

John Kwit

Mild Mannered Reporter 

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Thanks John.  We all needed this.  Keep on being mild mannered in the free world!

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