Saturday, September 15, 2007

The Music of CHRISTOPHER CROSS


Christopher Cross (born Christopher Geppert on May 3, 1951) is an American singer-songwriter. His works have earned him five Grammy Awards, an Oscar, and a Golden Globe. Native of San Antonio, Texas

Career
He is best known for performing "Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do)" for the film Arthur starring Dudley Moore and Liza Minelli. The song reached number one on the Billboard charts and won the Oscar for Best Original Song in 1981 (with co-composers Burt Bacharach, Carole Bayer Sager and Peter Allen.)

Cross first played with an Austin based cover band named Flash before signing a solo contract with Warner Bros. Cross released his self-titled debut album, Christopher Cross in 1979, which garnered him five Grammy Awards. He is the only artist to personally receive all of the "Big Four" Grammy Awards (Best Record, Song, Album, and New Artist) in the same year. Although Norah Jones' debut album Come Away with Me and song "Don't Know Why" won the same four awards in 2003, she did not personally receive the Song of the Year Grammy because it is a songwriter's award. Hits from this album included "Sailing", "Ride Like the Wind" (featuring backing vocals by Michael McDonald) and "Never Be the Same."

His second album, Another Page, which came out in 1983, included the hit songs "Think of Laura", "No Time For Talk", and "All Right." "All Right" was used by CBS Sports for its highlights montage following the 1983 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament, won in an upset by North Carolina State, which defeated the University of Houston in the championship game, 54-52. Although Another Page sold respectably, it did not nearly live up to the high expectations set by his debut album.

Christopher Cross released his third album Every Turn of the World in 1985. However, the album failed to produce any top 40 hits, and did not sell well. He went on to make three more albums in the 90's and although some of his releases have gained critical response, he has failed to catch the mass audience he once enjoyed. Cross has toured and opened for various acts since the 90's and also released his second Greatest Hits package in 2002.

Listen to his songs.

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