Graham Nash played with various early '60s rock bands until he settled in with the Hollies. They had great Top 40 success in the UK, perhaps too much for Nash's taste, as their fans did not respond well to his new creative experimental songwriting. Hollies fans were used to their pop rock sound and Nash yearned to expand his musical talents. In 1968, Graham Nash left the Hollies to work with recent acquaintances Stephen Stills and David Crosby, heading to California to work on their debut self-titled album. The work was very successful, selling more than two million copies and staying on the charts for over two years. Neil Young joined up with the group, and the four musicians rocketed to a new level of rock fame, joining the ranks of the Beatles and Bob Dylan. Nash finally got to release the songs he had failed to work out with the Hollies. His composition "Marrakesh Express" was a top 40 single in both the UK and America. Perhaps Graham's Nash's most famous release with CSNY was "Teach Your Children" from their second album Déjà Vu.
CSNY broke up after only one national tour. They had periodic reunions to tour and record, but none of the members regarded this as a permanent arrangement. After their dissolution in 1971, Graham Nash released Songs for Beginners, his solo debut. Many of these songs were politically charged and embody the angst of the time, as the lyrics push for social change. He joined up with David Crosby again later that year, releasing several albums that sold very well. After recording and touring more with CSN, Nash unexpectedly joined up with the Hollies again in 1983 to record What Goes Around.
Nash was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice, for both CSN and the Hollies. He remains involved in music as a solo artist and collaborator for a diverse array of projects, and is also involved in political activism.