MUSIC / DAVID CROSBY : Rock ‘n’ Recount : A well-traveled legend is returning to his hometown to help raise funds for a politician pal.

Up the road in Santa Barbara one of the longest elections in history may continue to drag on and on over the 3rd District supervisor’s seat in Goleta.

The recount from the Nov. 3 election has been completed, and former Supervisor Bill Wallace, a slow-growth candidate, who was on the board since the ‘70s, has lost by five votes.

The 1992 challenger, Santa Ynez rancher Willy Chamberlain, is, for now at least, the new supe.

Money talks; around election time it shouts. Developers contributed huge sums to Chamberlain’s campaign. And it was Willy over Billy in the initial count, by seven votes. Or was it?

Wallace demanded a recount, and now he’s lost again. Unless he wants to recount the recount or take his opponent to court over some provisional ballots that were declared invalid, Willy is in there.

In any case, there’s no such thing as a free lunch, and certainly not a free recount.

Offering an acoustic performance to help offset the cost of the recount for the Wallace camp will be former Santa Barbara local David Crosby, a man who knows about close ones.

Crosby didn’t vote for Wallace, since he lives in L. A., but he spends a lot of time in S. B. because his sailboat, “The Mayan,” is there. Crosby, born in 1941, can remember Santa Barbara when fields grew crops and not malls, long before a slow-growth movement was even necessary.

“You know, I’m from there,” said the famous singer during a recent phone interview. “I lived there from fifth grade until the first year of college. Santa Barbara has gotten a lot bigger.

“It’s still a wonderful place to live--it’s probably my favorite place in California. But if you work in the music industry, you need to live close to it.”

Crosby began his musical career as a folk singer playing in the local S. B. clubs in the early ‘60s. Then he hit the road and lived the life of the starving musician, perfecting his craft from sea to shining sea. Back in L. A.

Around 1964, Crosby was one of the founding member of those folk rock legends, the Byrds. Once touted as “the American Beatles,” the members of the Byrds lived the life of hippie rock god teen idols for a few years.

Crosby used to ride a motorcycle (real fast) in L. A. and wear a cape that would make Bela Lugosi salivate. He left the Byrds in 1967, but the band carried on with guitarist Roger McGuinn and a revolving cast of musicians until 1973. The Byrds had a reunion gig at the Ventura Theatre a few years back with three of the original members.

“I’d love to do the Byrds again, so would Chris Hillman, but McGuinn doesn’t want to,” Crosby said.

After the Byrds, Crosby and two buddies, Stephen Stills and Graham Nash, formed one of the first super-groups. Neil Young came aboard soon after, only to leave a couple of years later to pursue a solo career. The affiliation continues to this day, with Crosby, Stills & Nash--and occasionally Young--playing about 70 gigs per year.

During his illustrious career, Crosby has done about everything--he played at Woodstock, met about everybody including the Beatles--and all the while was higher than a Chinese bottle rocket.

Long considered the rock star most likely to be found dead from too much fun, Crosby overcame a lengthy and near fatal romance with cocaine when he spent a year in a Texas prison.

Crosby’s numerous drug adventures and excesses are thoroughly covered in his harrowing 1988 autobiography, “Long Time Gone.”

“I’m lucky to be alive,” said the survivor.

Since then, Crosby has been no higher than his 5-foot-9 frame, and has gotten his life back in order. He also spends some of his time promoting a clean lifestyle, but don’t confuse him with Nancy Reagan. According to Crosby, having the former First Lady pretend to be a drug expert makes about as much sense as naming the guy next door director of NASA because he’s seen a few Star Trek movies.

“I’ve talked to a lot of kids about my experiences,” said Crosby who has had many. “If you tell the kids the truth and don’t talk down to them, they’re more inclined to believe you. The government blew it back in the ‘60s by lying to us about the effects of marijuana and LSD. Today, when the kids hear that ‘Just Say No’ stuff, they think ‘oh, barf.’ I’ve got a lot more credibility than Nancy Reagan. Education is the only thing that’ll work in the long run.”

Just as Crosby has changed, so has the music biz. According to the rock star, there are more stars and fewer real musicians than their used to be.

“I really enjoy making my music, but music and the music business--they’re two completely different things. The prizes have gotten so much higher, which has brought out a different breed of people.

“There used to be people that could play music, now, it’s just people that want to be famous, get rich, meet some girls and get on MTV. You shouldn’t do it unless you love it and you can’t do anything else.”

* WHERE AND WHEN

David Crosby and a few friends will perform at a benefit concert for former Supervisor Bill Wallace Saturday night at 8 at the Lobero Theatre, 33 E. Canon Perdido St., Santa Barbara, 963-0761. Tickets are $21.