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Christopher Cross

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This article is about the American singer-songwriter. For the hip-hop duo, see Kris Kross.
For other people named Chris Cross, see Chris Cross (disambiguation).

Christopher Cross
Cross in 2008
Cross in 2008
Background information
Birth nameChristopher Charles Geppert
Born (1951-05-03) May 3, 1951 (age 73)
San Antonio, Texas, U.S.
Genres
Occupations
  • Musician
  • singer
  • songwriter
  • composer
Instruments
  • Vocals
  • guitar
Years active1971–present
Labels
Websitechristophercross.com

Christopher Cross (born Christopher Charles Geppert; May 3, 1951) is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and composer from San Antonio, Texas. Cross won five Grammy Awards for his eponymous debut album released in 1979. The singles "Sailing" (1980), and "Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do)" (from the 1981 film Arthur) peaked at number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.[2][3][4] "Sailing" earned three Grammys in 1981, while "Arthur's Theme" won the Oscar for Best Original Song in 1981 (with co-composers Burt Bacharach, Carole Bayer Sager, and Peter Allen).

Career

Early musical career

Cross first played with a San Antonio-based cover band named Flash (not to be confused with the early 1970s English band) before signing a solo contract with Warner Bros. in 1978.[5] Although best known for his vocals, Cross's guitar-playing is such that it once led to an unfulfilled invitation to play with Donald Fagen and Walter Becker of Steely Dan.[6] He also played guitar during a Deep Purple concert in 1970 when Ritchie Blackmore fell ill shortly before the show.[7]

The first album, and immediate success

Cross released his self-titled debut album, Christopher Cross, in 1979. The Billboard Hot 100 top 20 hits from this album included "Ride Like the Wind" (featuring backing vocals by Michael McDonald), "Sailing", "Never Be the Same", and "Say You'll Be Mine" (featuring backing vocals by Nicolette Larson). "Ride Like the Wind" hit No. 2 on the U.S. Hot 100, while "Sailing" topped the chart. "Never Be The Same" went No. 1 on the Adult Contemporary chart. Owing to the almost immediate success and popularity gained by the album, Cross was nominated for several Grammy Awards, garnering five. Cross was the first artist in Grammy history to win all four general field awards in a single ceremony, bringing home Record of the Year ("Sailing"), Album of the Year (Christopher Cross), Song of the Year ("Sailing"), and Best New Artist at the 23rd Annual Grammy Awards in 1981; this was not replicated until Billie Eilish won all four awards at the 62nd Annual Grammy Awards in 2020.[8][9]

The second album

Cross's second album, Another Page (1983), produced "All Right", "No Time for Talk", and "Think of Laura". "All Right" was used by CBS Sports for its highlights montage following the 1983 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament, while "Think of Laura" is used as a reference to characters on the soap opera General Hospital. Cross allowed ABC to use his song in this context; however, he has stated that he wrote "Think of Laura" not in reference to the television characters, but to celebrate the life of Denison University college student Laura Carter who was killed when she was struck by a stray bullet. Another Page sold well, getting Gold Certification. He also co-wrote and sang the song "A Chance For Heaven" for the 1984 Summer Olympic Games.

The curse of the MTV generation

After 1984, Cross's star quickly dimmed. As music television station 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.[10]

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.

The 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-1980s, he toured and opened for various acts during the 1990s.[11][12]

The 2000s

The year 2002 saw the release of 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.[13][14]

The 2010s

In 2011, Cross released a new studio album titled Doctor Faith.[15]

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.[16]

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.[17]

In 2017, he played a concert in his hometown, at the Tobin Center, San Antonio, Texas.[18] In 2018, he joined with other musicians in Austin to form the band Freedonia.[19]

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".[20]

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 that the painting chosen for the first album cover featured the bird, which has been used as a motif ever since.[21]

Personal life

A self-described "Army brat", Cross is the son of a U.S. Army pediatrician stationed at Walter Reed Army Hospital in Washington, D.C. in the mid-1950s, acting as physician for President Dwight Eisenhower's grandchildren.[22] He attended Alamo Heights High School in San Antonio and graduated in 1969. He was involved in football and track and field. [23] Cross was married to Roseanne Harrison from 1973 until the couple divorced in 1982. His 1988 marriage to Jan Bunch ended in a 2007 divorce.[24]

Cross has a son from his first marriage and two children from his second marriage, a son and daughter.

On April 3, 2020, Cross confirmed through his Facebook page that he had tested positive for the COVID-19 virus, and was ill, but is recovering. Cross later reported on Twitter that he has lost the use of his legs, but his doctors have told him he should fully recover. Physicians told him his COVID-19 disease triggered an episode of Guillain–Barré syndrome that caused the nerves in his legs to stop functioning properly.[25] On October 18, 2020, during an interview with CBS Sunday Morning, Cross described what COVID-19 is like for him, in his first public appearance since contracting the virus. The effects of COVID 19 still linger as Cross considers himself a "Long Haul" survivor. Cross advocated the wearing of masks and is eager to tour again.

Discography

Studio albums

Year Album Label Chart positions Certifications
(sales thresholds)
AUS
[26] 		CAN
[27] 		GER
[28] 		JPN
[29][30] 		NLD
[31] 		NZ
[32] 		SWE
[33] 		UK
[34] 		US
[35]
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 — —
1993 Rendezvous CMC — — — 96 — — — — —
1995 Window — — — 91 — — — — —
1998 Walking in Avalon — — — — — — — — —
2000 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 — — — — — — — — —

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

Singles

Year Single Peak chart positions Certifications
(sales thresholds) 		Album
CAN
[38] 		GER
[39] 		IRE
[40] 		NED
[41] 		NOR
[42] 		AUS
[26] 		NZ
[43] 		SWI
[44] 		UK
[45] 		US
[46] 		U.S.
AC
[47]
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)[48]
  • 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"

Awards

[53] [54]

Nominations

  • Cross filled in for guitarist Ritchie Blackmore of Deep Purple (who had fallen ill) by performing with the band in San Antonio, Texas, in 1970.[56]
  • Cross contributed backing vocals (along with The Beach Boys' Carl Wilson) to David Lee Roth's 1985 hit "California Girls".
  • Cross performed the song "Sailing" alongside the pop band 'N Sync at the Fifth Annual Blockbuster Entertainment Awards in 1999.
  • Cross also performed lead vocals on "So Far Away", a song from Alan Parsons' album On Air. When Parsons was touring in support of that album, Cross sometimes joined the band onstage to sing the song if he was available.
  • Cross spent much of his youth living in a home on Newbury Terrace in Terrell Hills, just outside San Antonio, Texas. That home had earlier belonged to the Cummins family. Another notable San Antonian, the historian and author Light Townsend Cummins, had grown up in that same house a decade earlier. It has since been demolished.
  • Cross played French horn, as well as bassoon, on the cult classic "Peanut Butter Karma" with indie rock legends Monsterland.
  • Cross also contributed French horn and bassoon solos on "Two Tickets To Paradise: The Money Vegas Duets" an unreleased album of Eddie Money collaborations with Indie cult hero Greg Vegas of Monsterland, Explodee, and Hat City Intuitive fame in 1995.
  • A small snippet of Cross's early hit "Sailing" (in slow-motion) was played in the DreamWorks-Aardman Animations film Flushed Away.
  • "Sailing" was also featured in an episode of the Fox sitcom Family Guy. It was also revealed that the full name of Chris Griffin's character is Christopher Cross Griffin.
  • Cross performed his hit song "Ride Like the Wind" on the NBC show Late Night with Jimmy Fallon on Monday, October 5, 2009, in a "Yacht Rock" themed episode. He was joined by Michael McDonald, whom he has worked with in the past. As the credits were rolling, Cross, McDonald, and The Roots, the Fallon house band, broke into "Sailing", which he also performed in an online-only performance on NBC.com.
  • Toured as part of the 2002 "A Walk Down Abbey Road" tour with Alan Parsons, Mark Farner, Jack Bruce, Eric Carmen, and Todd Rundgren.
  • Performed as part of the 2003 "A Walk Down Abbey Road" show, which consisted of two performances at the Atlantic City Hilton on August 8–9, with Alan Parsons, Todd Rundgren, Joey Molland, and Denny Laine.
  • Christopher Cross was portrayed in the parody web series Yacht Rock by Justin Roiland.
  • "Ride Like the Wind" was featured in a skit on the television series SCTV in which the song's use of Michael McDonald's distinct yet decidedly sparse backup vocal is satirized. This skit was the subject of an episode of Yacht Rock.
  • Newman booked Christopher Cross for his Millennium party in Season 8 Episode 20 of Seinfeld.
  • Singer Robyn Hitchcock named "Arthur's Theme" as his 'most-hated' song in a 2013 A.V. Club interview.
  • "Sailing" was also featured in an episode of the Fox comedy The Last Man on Earth (TV series).

References

  1. ^ https://ultimateclassicrock.com/christopher-cross-ritchie-blackmore-deep-purple-show/
  2. ^ "Christopher Cross - Chart history". Billboard. Retrieved August 8, 2017.
  3. ^ "New York Times". Movies.nytimes.com. January 18, 2007. Retrieved October 11, 2011.
  4. ^ Holden, Stephen (April 17, 2008). "New York Times". Nytimes.com. Retrieved October 11, 2011.
  5. ^ "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)
  6. ^ Flans, By Robyn. "Classic Track: "Ride Like the Wind,"Christopher Cross". Mixonline.
  7. ^ Prato, Greg (2014). "Interview: Christopher Cross, Songwriter". Songfacts, LLC. Retrieved September 28, 2014.
  8. ^ "A Virtual College of Grammy Knowledge", by Wook Kim, Entertainment Weekly, 2007. Retrieved 2008-01-07.
  9. ^ Sisario, Ben (January 26, 2020). "Billie Eilish Sweeps Top Awards at the Grammys". The New York Times. Retrieved January 27, 2020.
  10. ^ "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.
  11. ^ "Classicbands.com". Classicbands.com. Retrieved October 11, 2011.
  12. ^ Weingarten, Marc (May 10, 1998). "Los Angeles Times". Articles.latimes.com. Retrieved October 11, 2011.
  13. ^ "Westcoastmusic". Noted.blogs.com. October 2, 2008. Retrieved October 11, 2011.
  14. ^ "Insidemusicast.com". Insidemusicast.com. May 4, 2009. Retrieved October 11, 2011.
  15. ^ "Christopher Cross Website – Doctor Faith Release". Christophercross.com. Archived from the original on September 27, 2011. Retrieved October 11, 2011.
  16. ^ "Christopher Cross Returns with his First Live Release "A Night in Paris"". Archived from the original on July 13, 2013.
  17. ^ "Christopher Cross Official Web Site". Christophercross.com.
  18. ^ David Hendricks "Christopher Cross returns to San Antonio better than ever",my SA, June 5, 2017
  19. ^ "Christopher Cross Official Web Site". Christophercross.com.
  20. ^ Dolenz, Rundgren, Molland Begins Beatles Tribute Tour|Best Classic Bands
  21. ^ "Christopher Cross Official Website - FAQs". Christophercross.com. Retrieved May 17, 2018.
  22. ^ Christopher Cross. Comments during Concert at Wolf Trap Performing Arts Center, Vienna, Virginia. January 19, 2013.
  23. ^ https://www.classmates.com/blog/celebrity/christopher-cross/
  24. ^ "Christopher Cross files for divorce". USA TODAY. April 27, 2007. Retrieved December 18, 2011.
  25. ^ Lisa Respers France. "Christopher Cross says Covid-19 paralyzed him temporarily". CNN. Retrieved October 16, 2020.
  26. ^ a b Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. 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)
  27. ^ "Canadian Albums peaks". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Archived from the original on May 25, 2016. Retrieved May 17, 2018.
  28. ^ "Album Search: Christopher Cross" (in German). Media Control. Retrieved May 20, 2011.
  29. ^ Okamoto, Satoshi (2006). Oricon Album Chart Book: Complete Edition 1970–2005. Roppongi, Tokyo: Oricon Entertainment. ISBN 4-87131-077-9.
  30. ^ "クリストファー・クロスのCDアルバムランキング-ORICON STYLE". oricon.co.jp (in Japanese). Original Confidence. Retrieved August 8, 2011.Note: Reference indicates chart positions from 1988 onwards, and part of the information are currently unavailable
  31. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl Christopher Cross discography". Hung Medien. MegaCharts. Retrieved August 8, 2011.
  32. ^ "chart.org.nz Christopher Cross discography". Hung Medien. RIANZ. Retrieved August 8, 2011.
  33. ^ "swedishcharts.com – Discography Christopher Cross". Retrieved November 3, 2010.
  34. ^ "The Official Charts Company – Christopher Cross". Retrieved November 3, 2010.
  35. ^ "Christopher Cross - Billboard 200". Billboard. Retrieved January 3, 2021.
  36. ^ a b c "American certifications – Cross, Christopher". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved August 9, 2011.
  37. ^ 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.
  38. ^ "Canadian Top Singles peaks". Archived from the original on March 14, 2016. Retrieved May 17, 2018.
  39. ^ "Home - Offizielle Deutsche Charts". Officialcharts.de. Retrieved May 17, 2018.
  40. ^ "Search for Irish peaks". Archived from the original on August 30, 2012. Retrieved August 25, 2012.
  41. ^ 40, Stichting Nederlandse Top. "Christopher Cross". Top40.nl. Retrieved May 17, 2018. {{cite web}}: |last= has numeric name (help)
  42. ^ Hung, Steffen. "norwegiancharts.com - Norwegian charts portal". norwegiancharts.com. Retrieved May 17, 2018.
  43. ^ "New Zealand peaks". Retrieved April 24, 2019.
  44. ^ "Die Offizielle Schweizer Hitparade und Music Community". hitparade.ch. Retrieved April 24, 2019.
  45. ^ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  46. ^ "Christopher Cross - Billboard Hot 100". Billboard. Retrieved January 3, 2021.
  47. ^ "Christopher Cross - Adult Contemporary". Billboard. Retrieved January 3, 2021.
  48. ^ "Grammy's Greatest Moments, Volume III: Various Artists". Amazon.com. Retrieved November 23, 2011.
  49. ^ ""Arthur's Theme" Wins Original Song: 1982 Oscars" – via www.youtube.com.
  50. ^ Schonfeld, Zach (February 15, 2016), "The Most Ridiculous 'Album of the Year' Winners in Grammy History", Newsweek, retrieved December 13, 2016
  51. ^ "Grammy Album of the Year winners 1959 – 2018". January 20, 2016 – via www.telegraph.co.uk.
  52. ^ "Best New Artists Who Also Won Album Of The Year". GRAMMY.com. January 11, 2018.
  53. ^ "Christopher Cross". GRAMMY.com. June 4, 2019.
  54. ^ "23rd Annual GRAMMY Awards". GRAMMY.com. November 28, 2017.
  55. ^ "Primetime Emmy Awards: Awards for 1988". Internet Movie Database.
  56. ^ "Deep Purple – San Antonio, Texas – August 28, 1970". Purple.de. August 28, 1970. Retrieved October 11, 2011.

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