Stephen Stills formed Manassas in the early 1970s as his second major supergroup after Buffalo Springfield and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, both of which had collapsed amid ego clashes and creative disputes. Determined to avoid a repeat, Stills took firm control this time, describing himself as the band's "quarterback" and insisting he needed final say, even as he publicly predicted the group would last at least two years. Despite this more disciplined approach, Manassas ultimately proved just as short-lived as his earlier bands, disbanding within the very timeframe Stills had cautiously forecast.

The original line-up included Stills, Chris Hillman, Al Perkins, Paul Harris, Calvin "Fuzzy" Samuels, Dallas Taylor and Joe Lala, and the band released two albums, Manassas and Down the Road, before splitting after two years. Their downfall was driven by competing opportunities elsewhere, including the lure of a Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young reunion and other members receiving offers from rival supergroups, compounded by drug addiction problems within the ranks. Although Manassas never achieved the commercial success of Stills' previous bands, it retains a dedicated cult following decades later.