Christopher Cross
Christopher Cross | |
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Background information | |
Birth name | Christopher Charles Geppert |
Born | San Antonio, Texas, U.S. | May 3, 1951
Genres | |
Occupations |
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Instruments |
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Years active | 1971–present |
Labels |
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Website | christophercross |
Christopher Cross (born Christopher Charles Geppert; May 3, 1951) is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist from San Antonio, Texas. He won five
).Career
Early musical career
Geppert, bassist Andy Salmon, and keyboardist Rob Meurer met in San Antonio when they were still teens. Geppert and Salmon became bandmates in Flash, with Geppert on guitar. Together, they formed Christopher Cross as a band and moved to Austin, where they added drummer
Although best known for his vocals and songwriting, Cross is also a skilled guitarist.
Cross was the original owner of fellow Austin guitarist Stevie Ray Vaughan’s legendary “Number One” 1962/1963 hybrid Fender Stratocaster. Vaughan purchased the guitar at Ray Hennig’s Heart of Texas Music in Austin in 1974, only one day after Cross had traded the guitar for a Gibson Les Paul.[11]
First album and immediate success
Cross released his self-titled debut album,
Later in 1981, Cross released "Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do)", co-written by Burt Bacharach and Peter Allen, which was the main theme for the 1981 film Arthur. The song won the Oscar for Best Original Song in 1981,[17] and was nominated for three Grammys, but did not win.[18][b] In the U.S., it reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and on the Hot Adult Contemporary charts in October 1981, remaining at the top of the Hot 100 for three weeks while it also was a top-ten hit in several other countries. The song became the second and last American number-one hit by Christopher Cross.[19]
Second album
Cross's second album,
1980s
After 1984, Cross's commercial success faded. As music television channel MTV grew to dominate the mainstream music scene in the United States, Cross's style of music proved to be a bad fit for the network, and Cross's brand of adult contemporary music declined in popularity.[21]
Cross's next two albums, 1985's Every Turn of the World and 1988's Back of My Mind did not produce any top 40 hits or reach Gold or Platinum status.
He did, however, place the song "Swept Away" in the TV show Growing Pains. It was used during a video montage while Kirk Cameron's character Mike fell in love with a local girl while vacationing with the family in Hawaii.
1990s
Cross made three more albums in the 1990s, and although some of his releases gained critical response, he was not able to attract the mass audience he once enjoyed. After his decline in fame in the mid to late 1980s, he toured and opened for various acts during the 1990s.[22][23]
2000s
The year 2002 saw the release of the Very Best of... album, and in 2007 he completed a Christmas album titled A Christopher Cross Christmas. In 2008, Cross recorded a new acoustic album of his hits titled The Cafe Carlyle Sessions.[24][25]
2010s
In 2011, Cross released a new studio album titled Doctor Faith.[26]
In 2013, he released A Night in Paris, a 2-CD live album he recorded and filmed in April 2012 at the Theatre Le Trianon in Paris, France.[27]
The song "Ride Like the Wind" was featured on the Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues original movie soundtrack, released in 2013.
In September 2014, he released Secret Ladder, followed in November 2017 by Take Me as I Am.[28]
In 2017, he played a concert in his hometown, at the Tobin Center, San Antonio, Texas.[29] In 2018, he joined with other musicians in Austin to form the band Freedonia.[30]
In late 2019, Cross toured with Todd Rundgren, Jason Scheff, Micky Dolenz and Joey Molland of Badfinger in celebration of the Beatles' White Album on the "It Was Fifty Years Ago Today – A Tribute to the Beatles' White Album". Cross performed "Sailing" and "Ride Like the Wind".[31]
Since 2018, Cross has been playing in a band called Freedonia. They have 2 full length albums: "Freedonia" and "Firefly" and an EP titled "Bring Back The Dinosaurs".
2020s
During 2021–2022, Cross played in his 40th anniversary tour which had been rescheduled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Flamingo
One common feature of Cross's album covers is the appearance of a flamingo. According to Cross, there is no meaning behind this other than the painting chosen for his first album cover featured the bird, which has been used as a motif ever since.[32]
Personal life
A self-described
On April 3, 2020, Cross confirmed through his
He is Catholic.
Discography
Studio albums
Year | Album | Label | Chart positions | sales thresholds )
| ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
AUS [39] |
CAN [40] |
GER
[41] |
JPN [42][43] |
NLD
[44] |
NZ
[45] |
SWE [46] |
UK [47] |
US [48] | ||||
1979 | Christopher Cross | Warner Bros. | 6 | 26 | — | 18 | 14 | 16 | — | 14 | 6 | |
1983 | Another Page | 6 | 23 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 9 | 12 | 4 | 11 | ||
1985 | Every Turn of the World | — | — | 44 | 27 | 34 | — | 37 | — | 127 | ||
1988 | Back of My Mind | — | — | 45 | 27 | — | 93 | 49 | — | — | ||
1992 | Rendezvous | CMC | — | — | — | 96 | — | — | — | — | — | |
1994 | Window | — | — | — | 91 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
1998 | Walking in Avalon | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
1999 | Red Room | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
2007 | A Christopher Cross Christmas | Ear | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
2008 | The Café Carlyle Sessions | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
2010 | Christmas Time Is Here | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
2011 | Doctor Faith | — | — | 48 | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
2013 | A Night in Paris | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
2014 | Secret Ladder | Christopher Cross Records | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
2017 | Take Me As I Am | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
"—" denotes releases that did not chart. |
Compilations
- 1991: The Best of Christopher Cross (WEA)
- 1999: Greatest Hits Live (CMC)
- 2001: Definitive Christopher Cross (Warner Bros./Asia)
- 2002: The Very Best of Christopher Cross (Warner Bros.)
- 2011: Crosswords: The Best of Christopher Cross (101 Distribution)
Soundtracks
- 1981: Arthur (Motion picture soundtrack) "Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do)"
- 1983: General Hospital (TV series soundtrack) "Think of Laura"
- 1984: Official Music of the XXIIIrd Olympiad "A Chance For Heaven" (swimming theme)
- 1986: Nothing in Common (Motion picture soundtrack) "Loving Strangers (David's Theme)"
- 2010: 30 Rock (TV series soundtrack) "Lemon's Theme"
Singles
Year | Single | Peak chart positions | sales thresholds )
|
Album | |||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CAN [52] |
GER
[53] |
IRE [54] |
NED [55] |
NOR
[56] |
AUS [39] |
NZ
[57] |
SWI
[58] |
UK
[59] |
US [60] |
US A/C [61] | |||||||||
1980 | "Ride Like the Wind" | 3 | — | — | — | — | 25 | 31 | — | 69 | 2 | 24 | Christopher Cross | ||||||
"Sailing" | 1 | — | 21 | 18 | — | 46 | 8 | — | 48 | 1 | 10 | ||||||||
"Never Be the Same" | — | — | 25 | — | — | 42 | 41 | — | — | 15 | 1 | ||||||||
"Say You'll Be Mine" | 33 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 20 | 15 | ||||||||
"Mary Ann" (Japan only) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Single only | |||||||
1981 | "Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do)" | 2 | — | 7 | — | 1 | 13 | 10 | 6 | 7 | 1 | 1 |
|
Arthur (soundtrack) | |||||
1983 | "All Right" | 13 | 23 | 14 | 16 | 5 | 30 | 44 | 5 | 51 | 12 | 3 | Another Page | ||||||
"No Time for Talk" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 33 | 10 | ||||||||
"Think of Laura" | 9 | — | — | — | — | 100 | — | — | — | 9 | 1 | ||||||||
1984 | "A Chance for Heaven" (swimming theme from 1984 Summer Olympics) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 76 | 16 | The Official Music of the XXIIIrd Olympiad Los Angeles 1984 | ||||||
1985 | "Charm the Snake" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 68 | — | Every Turn of the World | ||||||
"Every Turn of the World" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||||
1986 | "Love Is Love (In Any Language)" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||||||
"Loving Strangers" | 94 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 27 | Nothing in Common (soundtrack) | |||||||
1988 | "Swept Away" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Back of My Mind | ||||||
"I Will (Take You Forever)" (with Frances Ruffelle) | 90 | — | — | — | — | 47 | — | — | — | — | 41 | ||||||||
1993 | "In the Blink of an Eye" (Germany only) | — | 51 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Rendezvous (Germany & Japan only) | ||||||
"Nothing Will Change" (Germany only) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||||
"Is There Something" (Germany only) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||||
1994 | "Been There, Done That" (Germany only) | — | 55 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Window (Germany & Japan only) | ||||||
"Wild, Wild West" (Germany only) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||||
"—" denotes releases that did not chart |
Other appearances
- 1974: Electromagnets, (with Eric Johnson) – "Motion"
- 1981: Chris Christian, (Boardwalk Records) – "Don't Give Up on Us" (guitar solo)
- 1982: Long Time Friends, Alessi Brothers – "Forever" (background vocals)
- 1985: Soul Kiss, Olivia Newton-John – "You Were Great, How Was I?" (background vocals)
- 1985: Crazy from the Heat, David Lee Roth – "California Girls" (background vocals)
- 1988: Brian Wilson, Brian Wilson – "Night Time" (background vocals)
- 1989: Christmas at My House, Larry Carlton – "Ringing the Bells of Christmas"
- 1991: Love Can Do That, Elaine Paige – "Same Train"
- 1994: Grammy's Greatest Moments Volume III – "Arthur's Theme" (live version)[62]
- 1996: Venus Isle, Eric Johnson– "Lonely in the Night" (background vocals)
- 1996: On Air, Alan Parsons – "So Far Away"
- 1998: Imagination, Brian Wilson (special edition "Words and Music" bonus disc) – "In My Room"
- 2001: A Gathering of Friends, Michael McDonald– "Ride Like the Wind"
- 2001: When It All Goes South, Alabama– "Love Remains"
- 2004: Confidential, Peter White – "She's in Love"
- 2006: Skylark, Gigi Mackenzie– "That's All"
- 2008: Soundstage: America Live in Chicago – "Lonely People", "A Horse with No Name"
- 2013: Train Keeps a Rolling, Jeff Golub – "How Long"
- 2013: Imagination of You, Eric Johnson– "Imagination of You"Golden Globe Award for best original song
Awards and nominations
Year | Award | Category | Nominated work | Result | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1981 | Academy Awards | Best Original Song | "Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do)" (from Arthur) | Won | [63] |
1991 | ASCAP Film and Television Music Awards | Most Performed Feature Film Standards | Won | ||
1981 | Golden Globe Awards | Best Original Song | Won | [64] | |
1980 | Grammy Awards | Album of the Year | Christopher Cross | Won | [65] |
Record of the Year | "Sailing" | Won | |||
Song of the Year | Won | ||||
Best New Artist | — | Won | |||
Best Pop Vocal Performance, Male | Christopher Cross | Nominated | |||
Best Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s) | "Sailing" | Won | |||
1981 | Record of the Year | "Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do)" | Nominated | ||
Song of the Year | Nominated | ||||
Best Pop Vocal Performance, Male | Nominated | ||||
1988 | Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Achievement in Music and Lyrics | "Swept Away" (from Growing Pains – Episode: "Aloha") | Nominated | [66] |
Notes
References
- ^ Giles, Jeff (February 26, 2018). "The Night Christopher Cross Sat in With Deep Purple". Ultimate Classic Rock.
- ^ a b "Christopher Cross". Billboard. Retrieved July 28, 2022.
- All Movie Guide. 2008. Archived from the originalon February 5, 2008. Retrieved October 11, 2011.
- ^ Holden, Stephen (April 17, 2008). "New York Times". Retrieved October 11, 2011.
- ^ "23rd Annual GRAMMY Awards | GRAMMY.com". grammy.com. Retrieved February 19, 2024.
- ^ a b Frolik, Joe (March 10, 1979). "Christopher Cross may let secret out of bag". Austin American-Statesman. p. 29.
- ^ a b c Margaret Moser. "The Reluctant Celebrity: Christopher Cross." The Austin Chronicle. January 20, 2012. Retrieved July 25, 2022.
- ^ "Christopher Cross & Flash". Archived from the original on July 15, 2011. Retrieved April 26, 2010.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) - ^ Flans, Robyn (September 25, 2015). "Classic Track: 'Ride Like the Wind,' Christopher Cross". Mixonline.
- ^ Cross, Christopher (October 18, 2013). "Christopher Cross". Songfacts (Interview). Interviewed by Greg Prato. Retrieved June 21, 2022.
- ^ "Gear Blog: Stevie Ray Vaughan's Number One". Acltv.com. October 3, 2012. Retrieved April 22, 2021.
- ^ "Gold & Platinum". RIAA. Retrieved July 28, 2022.
- ^ a b 23rd Annual GRAMMY Awards at Grammy.com. Retrieved July 25, 2022.
- ^ "A Virtual College of Grammy Knowledge", by Wook Kim, Entertainment Weekly, 2007. Retrieved January 7, 2008.
- ^ Sisario, Ben (January 26, 2020). "Billie Eilish Sweeps Top Awards at the Grammys". The New York Times. Retrieved January 27, 2020.
- ^ "American certifications – Christopher Cross – Christopher Cross". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved July 24, 2022.
- ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
- ^ a b 24th Annual GRAMMY Awards at Grammy.com. Retrieved July 25, 2022.
- ^ "Christopher Cross Artist Biography by Jason Ankeny - Awards". Allmusic.com. Retrieved March 30, 2014.
- ^ "American certifications – Christopher Cross – Another Page". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved July 24, 2022.
- ^ "Christopher Cross has his first of two #1 hits with "Sailing" – History.com This Day in History – 8/30/1980". History.com. Retrieved March 29, 2015.
- ^ "Classicbands.com". Classicbands.com. Retrieved October 11, 2011.
- ^ Weingarten, Marc (May 10, 1998). "Los Angeles Times". Articles.latimes.com. Retrieved October 11, 2011.
- ^ "Westcoastmusic". Noted.blogs.com. October 2, 2008. Retrieved October 11, 2011.
- ^ "Insidemusicast.com". Inside Musicast. May 4, 2009. Retrieved October 11, 2011.
- ^ "Christopher Cross Website – Doctor Faith Release". Christophercross.com. Archived from the original on September 27, 2011. Retrieved October 11, 2011.
- ^ "Christopher Cross Returns with his First Live Release "A Night in Paris"". Archived from the original on July 13, 2013.
- ^ "Christopher Cross Official Web Site". Christophercross.com.
- ^ David Hendricks "Christopher Cross returns to San Antonio better than ever",my SA, June 5, 2017
- ^ "Christopher Cross Official Web Site". Christophercross.com.
- ^ "Dolenz, Rundgren, Molland Begin Beatles Tribute Tour". July 30, 2015.
- ^ "Christopher Cross Official Website - FAQs". Christophercross.com. Archived from the original on June 29, 2018. Retrieved May 17, 2018.
- ^ Christopher Cross. Comments during Concert at Wolf Trap Performing Arts Center, Vienna, Virginia. January 19, 2013.
- ^ "Christopher Cross Yearbook Photo & School Pictures". Classmates. Retrieved February 19, 2024.
- ^ "Christopher Cross files for divorce". USA Today. April 27, 2007. Retrieved December 18, 2011.
- ^ Lisa Respers France. "Christopher Cross says Covid-19 paralyzed him temporarily". CNN. Retrieved October 16, 2020.
- ^ France, Lisa Respers (October 16, 2020). "Christopher Cross says Covid-19 paralyzed him temporarily". CNN. Retrieved March 10, 2023.
- ^ "'Where it all started': Christopher Cross is grateful to have sailed back into Austin". Austin American Statesman. Retrieved February 27, 2023.
- ^ ISBN 0-646-11917-6.Note: This reference gives Australian albums and singles information. It is used for chart peak positions as the early albums were released before ARIA regulated the Australian charts itself (1989)
- ^ "Canadian Albums peaks". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Archived from the original on May 25, 2016. Retrieved May 17, 2018.
- ^ "Album Search: Christopher Cross" (in German). Media Control. Retrieved May 20, 2011.[dead link]
- ISBN 4-87131-077-9.
- Original Confidence. Retrieved August 8, 2011.Note: Reference indicates chart positions from 1988 onwards, and part of the information are currently unavailable
- ^ "Dutchcharts.nl Christopher Cross discography". Hung Medien. MegaCharts. Retrieved August 8, 2011.
- RIANZ. Retrieved August 8, 2011.
- ^ "swedishcharts.com – Discography Christopher Cross". Retrieved November 3, 2010.
- ^ "The Official Charts Company – Christopher Cross". Official Charts. Retrieved November 3, 2010.
- ^ "Christopher Cross - Billboard 200". Billboard. Retrieved January 3, 2021.
- ^ a b c "American certifications – Cross, Christopher". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved August 9, 2011.
- ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 1996 Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved November 28, 2021.
- ^ a b "British certifications – Christopher Cross". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved August 19, 2010. Type Christopher Cross in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
- ^ "Canadian Top Singles peaks". Archived from the original on March 14, 2016. Retrieved May 17, 2018.
- ^ "Home - Offizielle Deutsche Charts". Officialcharts.de. Archived from the original on September 3, 2014. Retrieved May 17, 2018.
- ^ "Search for Irish peaks". Archived from the original on August 30, 2012. Retrieved August 25, 2012.
- ^ "Christopher Cross". Top40.nl. Stichting Nederlandse Top 40. Retrieved May 17, 2018.
- ^ Hung, Steffen. "norwegiancharts.com - Norwegian charts portal". norwegiancharts.com. Retrieved May 17, 2018.
- ^ "New Zealand peaks". Retrieved April 24, 2019.
- ^ "Die Offizielle Schweizer Hitparade und Music Community". hitparade.ch. Retrieved April 24, 2019.
- ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
- ^ "Christopher Cross - Billboard Hot 100". Billboard. Retrieved January 3, 2021.
- ^ "Christopher Cross - Adult Contemporary". Billboard. Retrieved January 3, 2021.
- ^ "Grammy's Greatest Moments, Volume III: Various Artists". Amazon. Retrieved November 23, 2011.
- ^ "The 54th Academy Awards (1982) Nominees and Winners". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Retrieved August 24, 2011.
- ^ "Arthur". Golden Globe Awards. Retrieved August 6, 2023.
- ^ "Christopher Cross". Grammy Awards. Retrieved August 6, 2023.
- ^ "Christopher Cross". Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved August 6, 2023.
External links
- Official website
- Christopher Cross at IMDb
- Christopher Cross at AllMusic
- Living Legends – Christopher Cross Interview Series
- Elixir Strings Interview at the Wayback Machine (archived January 6, 2006)