first perance of the tour at the Denver Coliseum on May 12, 1970. Notwithstanding these previous tensions, Taylor would later assert that his dismissal stemmed from a flirtation with Young's first (Topanga Canyon restaurateur Susan Acevedo) amid renewed conflict between Stills and Young in the aftermath of Reeves' firing. Shortly tafter, drummer John Barbata (erly of The Turtles) was hired for the remainder of the tour and associated recordings. A week before the Denver perance,

Young and Crosby were staying at a house near San Francisco when reports of the Kent State shootings arrived, inspiring Young to write the protest song "Ohio". Recorded and rush-released weeks later with the new rhythm section, it peaked at No. 14 in August 1970, providing another American Top 20 hit for the group. Their previously recorded song "Teach Your

Children" was still climbing up the billboards, yet the group insisted it be rushed out and released. Crosby later stated in an interview that his backs "how many more?" in the final stages of the song was -libbed, bringing out his pure frustration.

As the 23-show tour progressed, the tenuous nature of the partnership was strained by Stills' alcohol and cocaine abuse and perceived megalomania, culminating in an extended solo set not countenanced by the other band s at the Fillmore East, when he was ined that Bob Dylan was in the audience. In this turbulent atmosp, Crosby, Nash and Young decided to fire Stills