In 1963, David Crosby thought he’d found his ticket to stardom. Instead, he signed up for a “pathetic horror show”

In 1963, David Crosby joined Les Baxter’s Balladers, hoping the group would help him break into music and give him a chance to tour the United States. He later called the experience a “horror show”, saying the band’s staged lounge-act image was far removed from the folk music and honest songwriting he admired.

Crosby performed with his brother and musicians Bob Ingram and Mike Clough, but felt the group imitated the Christy Minstrels and sounded outdated. The performers wore black pegged trousers and red bellboy jackets, which Crosby resented. The experience helped him recognise what kind of artist he did not want to be and encouraged him to begin writing his own songs.