David Crosby, the biological father of Melissa Etheridge’s son Beckett Cypher, has spoken out about the 21-year-old’s opioid overdose death.
After retweeting a story with the sad news, Crosby replied to a commenter who “respectfully” posted that Crosby was merely a “donor” for Etheridge and her former partner Julie Cypher. The women, who split in 2000, did not have a son “‘with’ [Crosby]. He was Melissa and Julie’s child. They raised him. Like most donors, he played no other part.”
The iconic singer, who was founding member of both the Byrds and Crosby, Stills & Nash, replied, “Not true.”David Crosby✔@thedavidcrosby
When another person commented that they know that Crosby “just lost a son” and they’re sorry for his “rough year,” Crosby — who is also biological father of the former couple’s 23-year-old daughter Bailey — replied “Maybe it’s a test.”David Crosby✔@thedavidcrosby
He also remarked on an ongoing dispute with former band members Stephen Stills, Graham Nash and Neil Young in relation to his loss, saying he doubts any of them will reach out to him about Beckett’s death “but … you never know.”David Crosby✔@thedavidcrosby
Etheridge announced Beckett’s death on Wednesday, saying, “Today I joined the hundreds of thousands of families who have lost loved ones to opioid addiction. My son Beckett, who was just 21, struggled to overcome his addiction and finally succumbed to it today.”
When Etheridge and Cypher had their family during their decade together — Cypher was pregnant twice via artificial insemination — there was much speculation over who the biological father was. The disclosure that it was the rock legend came in a cover story for Rolling Stone in 2000. (Etheridge has since said that her former friend Brad Pitt was also considered.)
Etheridge, who also has 13-year-old twins with ex-Tammy Lynn Michaels, also shared in her statement about Beckett’s death that they “struggle with what else we could have done to save him,” but “in the end we know he is out of the pain now.”
