Graham Nash, a 15-year-old songwriter and the 1966 hit he saw coming

Graham Nash has recalled how a visit to teenage songwriter Graham Gouldman led The Hollies to recognise the promise of “Bus Stop”. The 1966 hit became one of the band’s successes and illustrates how Nash’s instinct for strong songs shaped his career.

Gouldman was 15 when The Hollies’ manager, Michael Cohen, introduced the band to him at his home in Manchester. Nash said the group knew the song had potential as soon as Gouldman played it, and they could imagine adding their own style. Nash later left The Hollies to make music with David Crosby and Stephen Stills, drawn by the sound of their combined voices.