“I’m still growing as an artist,” says Coolidge (at her home in Fallbrook, Calif., on March 17). Next month she’s set to record her RITA 21st solo album. COOLIDGE Rock &Roll Survivor THE ’70S SONGBIRD LOOKS BACK AT THE MUSIC SHE MADE, THE FAMOUS MEN SHE DATED AND HER VOLATILE 6-YEAR MARRIAGE TO KRIS KRISTOFFERSON ita Coolidge wants to with the likes of Tina Turner (who once Romantic drama with Crosby, make one thing perfectly took off her wig to show Rita a scar Stills & Nash clear. “I did not break up left by husband Ike’s beatings) and During a 1970 Hollywood studio ses- Crosby, Stills & Nash,” playing muse to some of rock’s greatest sion for Stephen Stills, Coolidge met she tells People’s Johnny talents. In Delta Lady, her new memoir Graham Nash, who invited her to one of RDodd, laughing over old claims that (excerpted below), Coolidge, 70, looks their concerts. she was responsible for the iconic back at her life in and out of Graham was staying at folk-rock group’s split. “I was in the the recording studio, in- Stephen’s house, but when I HAIR & MAKEUP: WENDY DOYLE/ZENOBIA middle of it all, kind of like a referee cluding her marriage to and called, Stephen answered and in a boxing ring.” The songwriter and divorce from Kris Kristoffer- said, “Graham made other ar- Grammy-winning singer best known son. “I don’t know why I’ve rangements. I’ll pick you up.” for “Higher and Higher” was in fact had a career that spanned After the show, Graham was smack dab in the middle of the entire 50 years,” she says in her soft very cool to me—and since 1970s music scene, performing with Tennessee drawl. “But I’m he seemed so disinterested I Eric Clapton and Joe Cocker, hanging infinitely grateful for it.” went out with Stephen a few 54 April 4, 2016 PEOPLE Photograph by JOE SCHMELZER 1 3 1 1. Coolidge with Stephen Stills in 1969. 2. With Stills’s bandmate Graham Nash in 1970 after the two began dating. “I still adore him,” she confesses. 3. “Kris [Kristofferson] and I laugh at stuff nobody else gets,” Coolidge says of her former husband (in 1977). 2 times. I eventually told Graham, “I didn’t it. As we played with it a second progres- Deep sharing in a short time. We knew stand you up.” It turned out Stephen had sion came to me that “answered” the we were destined to be together. said I’dcanceled.I realizedwhatasneaky tension of Jim’s chords. We called the I never laughed with anybody in my little bugger Stephen was and I really song “Time” and we played it for Eric life like with Kris. When it was good didn’t want to see him anymore. Clapton at Olympic Studios in London I was absolutely over-the-moon happy. Graham and I started seeing each and left him a tape, hoping he’d cover And when it was sad it was almost too other. Graham was very much his own it. A year later, I heard a song on the much to bear. person and was comfortable in his own radio that sounded familiar—suddenly In 1979, after six years of marriage— skin. Graham’s nickname was “Daddy” I realized that it was “Time,” only now and the birth of daughter Casey, now 42— within the entourage—he’d attempt it was an instrumental and had been the couple split. to mediate skirmishes between David appropriated, without the lyrics, as the Movie stardom—something he’d nev- Crosby and Stephen and get drawn famous “piano coda” that concludes er really sought—was overwhelming for CLOCKWISE FROM BOTTOM LEFT: COURTESY RITA COOLIDGE COLLECTION(2); RON GALELLA/WIREIMAGE in. When Graham told Stephen about Derek and the Dominos’classic“Layla.” Krisandhelpedfuelhisdrinking.Inthe us, Stephen came out swinging. Gra- When I saw that “Layla” was credited years leading up to the final split, I kept ham is not a fighter; somebody pulled to “E. Clapton and J. Gordon” with no pressing Kris to go to counseling with Stephen off. David maintains I’m the mention of “R. Coolidge,” I was infuri- me. But he steadfastly refused. I kept reason CSN broke up. Graham was made ated and called Eric’s manager, Robert telling him, “I can’t live like this. And of stuff women fall in love with—we Stigwood, who said, “Who do you think once I walk out the door, then I don’t drifted apart after a year. I look back you are? You’re a girl singer—what are come back. Once it’s done, it’s done.” and think, If I could change one thing . you going to do?” I never wanted the I loved Graham deeply and always will. money—I just wanted my name on it. No regrets Kris and I remain very good friends. Eric Clapton took my music! Life with Kris Kristofferson Graham has written songs I’m going to In 1970 Coolidge cowrote a song called It was “love at first flight” when Kristof- record on an upcoming album. David “Time” with drummer Jim Gordon of ferson saved Coolidge a seat on a 1971 and Stephen, bless them, sent flowers Derek and the Dominos. plane ride from L.A. to Memphis. to my sister’s 2014 memorial. As you Jim sat at my piano and played a Kris radiated outlaw. We talked all the get older, you gather layers of life. You chord progression he’d composed. way to Memphis. Kris had just lost his wear them proudly, or they take you There was something haunting about father; he was estranged from his family. down. I choose to wear mine.• Excerpted from Delta Lady: A Memoir by Rita Coolidge with Michael Walker. 56 April 4, 2016 PEOPLE Copyright (c) 2016 by Rita Coolidge. Reprinted by permission of Harper, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers..