Soft Rock Icon Darrell 'Dash' Crofts, Dead at 85
Rolling Stone • • entertainment
Key Points:
- Darrell “Dash” Crofts, half of the soft-rock duo Seals & Crofts, died at 85 due to complications from heart surgery, confirmed by their producer Louie Shelton.
- Crofts, originally a drummer turned mandolin player, formed the duo with Jim Seals in 1969, pioneering the soft rock genre with hits like “Summer Breeze,” which remains culturally influential.
- Seals & Crofts gained fame in the early 1970s with albums like Summer Breeze and Diamond Girl, and their Greatest Hits compilation sold over 2 million copies upon release in 1975.
- The duo was known for their advocacy of the Baháʼí faith, emphasizing unity and spiritual themes in their music, though their 1974 pro-life song “Unborn Child” sparked controversy and radio bans.
- Crofts was born in Cisco, Texas, in 1940, and his musical journey included early involvement with the band the Champs before forming the iconic duo with Seals.
