Dash Crofts of Seals & Crofts, known for hits 'Summer Breeze' and 'Diamond Girl,' dies at 87

The singer-songwriter teamed up with childhood friend Jim Seals to create a string of 1970s soft-rock hits.

Mar. 27, 2026 at 7:38am

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Singer-songwriter Darrell 'Dash' Crofts, who formed the popular 1970s soft-rock duo Seals & Crofts with his childhood friend Jim Seals, has died at the age of 87. Crofts passed away on Wednesday due to heart failure at a hospital in Austin, Texas. Seals & Crofts were known for hits like 'Summer Breeze,' 'Diamond Girl,' and 'Get Closer,' blending pop, country, folk, and jazz into a signature sound that was part of the wave of million-selling soft-rock bands in the 1970s.

Why it matters

Seals & Crofts were a hugely successful and influential soft-rock act in the 1970s, with their melodic, easy-listening sound and introspective lyrics resonating with a wide audience. Their music helped define the era's 'California sound' and soft-rock genre, and their spiritual themes and Baha'i faith influenced their songwriting. The duo's passing marks the end of an era for that musical style and the loss of an iconic act from that period.

The details

Crofts and Seals had known each other since high school and played in various groups together before forming Seals & Crofts in the late 1960s. Their soft-rock sound blended pop, country, folk, and jazz, and they were part of the wave of million-selling soft-rock bands in the 1970s that also included America, Bread, and Loggins and Messina. Seals & Crofts released several hit singles like 'Summer Breeze,' 'Diamond Girl,' and 'Get Closer,' as well as albums like 'Down Home' and 'Year of Sunday.' Their music often incorporated themes from the Baha'i faith, which both Crofts and Seals had embraced in the 1960s.

  • Seals & Crofts released their eponymous debut album in 1969.
  • Their commercial breakthrough came in 1972 with the hit 'Summer Breeze'.
  • Crofts died on Wednesday, March 27, 2026 at the age of 87.

The players

Darrell 'Dash' Crofts

Singer-songwriter who formed the popular 1970s soft-rock duo Seals & Crofts with his childhood friend Jim Seals.

Jim Seals

Childhood friend of Darrell 'Dash' Crofts and the other half of the popular 1970s soft-rock duo Seals & Crofts.

Lua Crofts Faragher

Daughter of Darrell 'Dash' Crofts.

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What they’re saying

“There's not a time that we performed that we didn't have hundreds of people coming up and expressing their love and often saying the music changed their life.”

— Lua Crofts Faragher, Daughter of Darrell 'Dash' Crofts

“There were so many people who loved them. They were a constant service to mankind.”

— Lua Crofts Faragher, Daughter of Darrell 'Dash' Crofts

“That's what makes it so painful — that it's the end. But the music will always, always live on.”

— Lua Crofts Faragher, Daughter of Darrell 'Dash' Crofts

The takeaway

The passing of Dash Crofts marks the end of an era for the soft-rock sound that he and Jim Seals helped define in the 1970s. Their melodic, introspective music and spiritual themes resonated with a wide audience and left a lasting impact on the music industry and their many devoted fans.