Graham Nash

Graham Nash’s recently released This Path Tonight marks his first record of all original tunes in 14 years. The 10 tracks are mostly autobiographical tributes to friends, some who’ve passed, including Levon Helm, and some he’s loved, like Joni Mitchell.

Along with a new album, Nash has also made some big life changes: After 38 years of marriage and living between L.A. and Hawaii, Nash divorced his wife after falling in love with Amy Grantham, a photographer in her late 30s. Now Nash lives in New York City with his new partner.

“I’m completely in love,” he says. “You really have to feed love: leave the occasional flower by the bed, the occasional note on the refrigerator – you have to keep up love in little simple ways. If you don’t, [love] dies. That’s what happened with me and my wife.”

The changes haven’t been easy, especially on Nash’s adult children, who are currently avoiding contact with their father. “I had to follow my heart,” Nash says. “I’ve followed my heart for all of my life. Whatever life I have left I want to be reasonably happy and that’s why I made such a drastic move.”

Weekly: Do you consider yourself the same guy you were when you wrote “Simple Man” 40 years ago?

Nash: I haven’t really changed at all since I was a kid. I’ve always been curious about women. I’ve been a curious man all of my life.

Describe the experience of making 2016’s This Path Tonight compared to making your 1971 solo debut, Songs for Beginners.

Songs for Beginners was a bunch of songs I had written, but I couldn’t record with David [Crosby], Stephen [Stills] and Neil [Young] because we had just put out records together – the first Crosby, Stills and Nash record and Deja Vu. We weren’t recording, so what do you do with all the songs? That collection of songs became Songs for Beginners. This Path Tonight was 20 songs written in a month. And I recorded those 20 songs in eight days.

Has your approach to songwriting changed over the years?

There isn’t much difference. When I approach a song, I always have to feel something very strongly before I start writing about it. I research my subjects, even if they’re me. I have to feel something about something I see on the news or read in a magazine or hear from friends – I have to feel before I can write. That’s always been the case for me.

Thoughts on the political climate, namely our new Commander in Chief?

I’ve been here 50 years and I’ve never seen anything so insane. I feel very disturbed about the safety of my country – I’ve been an American citizen for over 30 years. I love this country. It has the ability to be an incredibly great nation. I think Trump is a liar and vain. All the things he stands for: the misogyny, the division of races, all the attempts to conquer us; it’s all very disturbing.

Do you see any parallels to the political climate of the 1960s?

Absolutely not. President Nixon was misguided and I disagreed with just about everything he said, but he was a bright man. Donald Trump is not a bright man.

Talk about Crosby’s outrage about your autobiography, Graham Nash Wild Tales: A Rock and Roll Life.

There was nothing in [the book] about David that hadn’t been known by the public for years. I’m not sure [the book] was the real reason he was pissed at me. I sent Crosby the book a month before it was published and told him anything he wanted changed would be fine. I heard nothing. So what am I supposed to presume? I presumed they read the book and had no problems.

You’ve said you would partake in a CSNY reunion. How likely would it be to get the other three on board?

I don’t have the energy anymore to [rally them]. If I don’t do anything, nothing will happen.

AN EVENING WITH GRAHAM NASH 7:30pm Tuesday, April 3. Sunset Center, San Carlos and Ninth, Carmel. $45; $105 (proceeds benefit the Beacon House). 620-2048, sunsetcenter.org.