Buffalo Springfield’s Three Surviving Members Flirted with Idea of Reunion

Buffalo Springfield

Does it seem possible for a band to be together for a total of two years, record only three albums, have just one single in the top 10 of the charts and still gain induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

It’s not only possible, it happened – to the Buffalo Springfield

The five-man band, which stayed together from 1966 to ‘68, left an enduring mark on the pop music scene with their innovative blend of folk-country-rock-bluegrass. They influenced 1970s luminaries such as Linda Ronstadt, Jackson Browne, the Eagles and Dan Fogelberg.

The original lineup consisted of Americans Stephen Stills and Richie Furay and Canadians Neil Young, Bruce Palmer and Dewey Martin. Stills, Furay and Young played guitar, Palmer played bass and Martin was the drummer

After years of tending to other projects, surviving members of Buffalo Springfield regrouped in 2010 for the annual Bridge School Benefit in Mountain View, Calif., and then scheduled six gigs in 2011. The Internet was been abuzz with speculation of a full reunion tour for 2012, but it did not materialize. Attempts to contact Furay, Stills and Young for comment were unsuccessful.

The roots of Buffalo Springfield go back to the early 1960s, when Ohio native Furay and Texas-born Stills were members of the Au Go Go Singers, the house band at Café Au Go Go in New York’s Greenwich Village. Stills, who was in a military family, moved around a lot in his youth. When his father was stationed in Gainesville, Fla., 15-year-old Stephen played in the Continentals with future Eagle Don Felder, who was then 13.

“I got hooked into folk music by accident,” Stills has said, “because that’s what white college kids liked when I was a child.”

Young and Palmer played together in the Mynah Birds, a band built around Rick James. James had gone AWOL from the U.S. Naval Reserves and fled to Canada.

The Mynahs went to Detroit and signed with Motown Records. They were about to release their first single when they fired their manager. In retaliation, the ex-manager informed Motown personnel of James’ fugitive status, causing Motown to cancel the Mynahs’ contract. James gave himself up and served a year in the brig. Young and Palmer subsequently moved to Los Angeles, where they hoped to meet up with Stills.

In 1965 Young had become acquainted with Stills in Thunder Bay, Ont., and their musical styles seemed to mesh.

Stills was chosen to be a cast member of The Monkees in early 1966. But he dropped out after he learned that his contract would give Columbia Pictures publishing rights to all of his songs.

After a week of unsuccessful searching for Stills in early April 1966, Young and Palmer gave up and were ready to drive to San Francisco. That’s when fate intervened. Stuck in a massive traffic jam on Sunset Blvd., Stills, Furay and record producer Bruce Friedman happened to spot Young’s distinctive black 1953 Pontiac hearse going in the opposite direction. Furay made a U-turn and managed to get the attention of the two Canadians. At that point they became determined to put together a band.

Martin, who had worked in Nashville with the likes of Patsy Cline, Carl Perkins and Roy Orbison, was added to the lineup after the Byrds’ manager suggested he contact the other four.

They took the name for their band from a steamroller that was parked outside Friedman’s house. It was manufactured by the Buffalo-Springfield Roller Co.

For all practical purposes, Buffalo Springfield was the house band at L.A.’s Whisky A Go Go from May to June ’66. They attracted attention from several record labels but, ironically, signed with Atlantic Records, home to many rhythm and blues artists.

The group’s first album was self-titled. It got enough attention to earn the band an appearance on the Smothers Brother Comedy Hour, a network television variety show

On a trip to New York to play a club engagement in Jan. ’67, Palmer was arrested for marijuana possession and deported to Canada. Bassists Mike Barnes and Jim Fielder were hired to fill in for him.

“For What It’s Worth” became Buffalo Springfield’s biggest hit single, peaking at No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100 in March ’67. On the Chicago charts the song reached No. 4

While the song has been used in numerous movies as a backdrop to Vietnam War era scenes, the song was not written about war protest. Stills penned the lyrics in Nov. ’66 after witnessing police actions against a throng of young adults who came to the Sunset Strip to protest the closing of Pandora’s Box, a nightclub. The single sold over a million copies.

Palmer returned to the band in June ’67. By that time Young had temporarily left the band and missed its appearance at the legendary Monterey Pop Festival. Doug Hastings replaced him for that event, with David Crosby making a guest appearance on stage.

The band’s second album was “Buffalo Springfield Again.” The liner notes described Young as “hot and cold.” Young’s once tight partnership with Stills was crumbling, and he appeared to be eyeing a solo career. “Bluebird,” “Mr. Soul” and “Rock & Roll Woman” were the outstanding tracks.

Palmer was arrested for drug possession again in January ’68 and was deported a second time. With Palmer permanently out of the picture, guitarist and studio engineer Jim Messina replaced him in Buffalo Springfield. Messina has been quoted as saying, “My experience with Buffalo Springfield was that they did not rehearse.”

With Palmer gone, Young began appearing at the band’s sessions less frequently. Furay’s dulcet tones took over some of the songs on which Young was to have been lead singer. Their third album, “Last Time Around,” was completed in March ’68.

Another drug bust, this time involving Young, Furay, Messina and Eric Clapton in April ’68, led to Buffalo Springfield’s disbanding. Their last show was May 5 in Long Beach.

Stills eventually formed a partnership with Graham Nash and Crosby, and Young occasionally joined them on their projects. Stills also worked briefly as a solo artist and with the band Manassas. Young had a stellar career as a solo artist and with his band Crazy Horse. Furay and Messina were founding members of Poco, with Messina also doing session work with budding star Kenny Loggins in the early ‘70s.

Buffalo Springfield was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1997, and Stills was inducted as a member of Crosby, Stills and Nash on the same night.

A full reunion of the band is not possible. Palmer died of a heart attack at age 58 on Oct. 1, 2004, and Martin died at 68 of natural causes on Jan. 31, 2009, after being in poor health.

Buffalo Springfield’s music still gets regular play on classic rock radio, a testament to the band’s innovative creativity and the durability of their vocals and melodies.