Stills first emerged on the American music scene with "For What It's Worth", a song he wrote and sang with the legendary Buffalo Springfield in 1967. This success was followed up with the formation of the supergroup Crosby, Stills, and Nash (later adding Neil Young, a Buffalo Springfield alum). The collective enjoyed a string of hits in the late 1960s and early 70s which was augmented by successful solo efforts from each member of the group.
Guitarist Steven Fromholz, who appears in McCrea 1971, joined the Stills Band just before their appearance at the Celebration of Life. Soon after the festival, Stills formed yet another band, Manassas, which included several members of the group who made the trip with him to Pointe Coupee Parish. Stills was not unfamiliar with Louisiana. Though he didn't graduate, he attended Louisiana State University for a short time in the early 1960s before pursuing a life in music.