Christopher Cross
Christopher Cross backstage after a tribute concert to Michael McDonald in Los Angeles (February 4, 2000). Michael McDonald (born February 12, 1952, in St Louis Missouri) is an American R&B / soul Singer and Songwriter
Background information
Birth name	Christopher Geppert
Also known as	Christopher Cross
Born	May 3, 1951 (1951-05-03) (age 57)
Origin	San Antonio, Texas
Genre(s)	Pop Soft rock Yacht rock
Occupation(s)	Singer-songwriter, musician, producer
Instrument(s)	Vocals, guitar, piano
Years active	1979-present
Label(s)	Warner Bros, BMG Records, Reprise, Priority Records, CMC International
Associated acts	Michael McDonald, Burt Bacharach, Madison, Alan Parsons Project
Website	http://www.christophercross.com/

Christopher Cross (born Christopher Geppert on May 3, 1951) is an American singer-songwriter from San Antonio, Texas. Events 1491 - Kongo monarch Nkuwu Nzinga is baptised by Portuguese missionaries adopting the baptismal name of João Year 1951 ( MCMLI) was a Common year starting on Monday. Events of 1951 January A music genre is a categorical and typological construct that identifies musical sounds as belonging to a particular category and type of music that can be distinguished from other Pop music as a genre features a noticeable rhythmic element catchy melodies and hooks, a mainstream style and conventional structure Soft rock, also referred to as light rock or easy rock, is a style of Music which uses the techniques of Rock and roll to compose a softer Yacht Rock was an online video series following the Fictionalized lives and careers of American Soft rock stars of the late 1970s and early 1980s Singer-songwriter is a term that refers to Performers who write, compose and sing their own material including Lyrics A musician is a person who plays or writes Music. Musicians can be classified by their roles in creating or performing music An instrumentalist plays a In the Music industry, a record producer or music producer has many roles among them controlling the recording sessions coaching and guiding the musicians organizing A musical instrument is a device constructed or modified for the purpose of making Music. The guitar is a Musical instrument with ancient roots that is used in a wide variety of musical styles The piano is a Musical instrument played by means of a keyboard that produces sound by striking steel strings with Felt covered hammers In the Music industry, a record label can be a Brand and a Trademark associated with the Marketing of music recordings and Music Michael McDonald (born February 12, 1952, in St Louis Missouri) is an American R&B / soul Singer and Songwriter Burt Bacharach (ˈbækəræk born May 12, 1928) is an American Pianist and Composer. The Alan Parsons Project was a British Progressive rock band active between 1975 and 1990 founded by Eric Woolfson and Alan Parsons. Events 1491 - Kongo monarch Nkuwu Nzinga is baptised by Portuguese missionaries adopting the baptismal name of João Year 1951 ( MCMLI) was a Common year starting on Monday. Events of 1951 January The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Singer-songwriter is a term that refers to Performers who write, compose and sing their own material including Lyrics His debut album earned him all of the "Big Four" Grammy Awards in one year, a feat that is yet to be equalled. The Grammy Awards (originally called the Gramophone Awards)—or Grammys —are presented annually by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences He also received an Oscar and a Golden Globe relating to his work with music in hit films. "The Oscar" redirects here for the film see The Oscar (film. The Golden Globe Awards are American awards for motion pictures and Television programs given out each year during a formal dinner Along with Michael McDonald, Toto, Kenny Loggins and, to a lesser degree, Hall and Oates, Cross formed the backbone of the so-called "Yacht Rock" genre of adult contemporary music, which captured the imagination of would-be sailors everywhere in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Michael McDonald may refer to Michael McDonald (singer (born 1952 American "blue-eyed soul" singer Michael McDonald (actor Kenneth Clark "Kenny" Loggins (born January 7, 1948 in Everett, Washington) is an American Singer and Songwriter Hall & Oates are a Pop music duo made up of Daryl Hall and John Oates.

Career

He is best known by most for his Top Ten hit songs, "Sailing", "Ride Like the Wind", and "Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do)," the latter of which he performed for the film Arthur starring Dudley Moore and Liza Minnelli. In Popular music, a chart-topper is an extremely popular recording, identified by its inclusion in a ranked list&mdasha Chart &mdashof top Sailing is a #1 Easy Listening single written and performed by Christopher Cross on his 1980 eponymous debut album. Ride Like the Wind was a hit single by Christopher Cross in 1980 appearing on his Grammy-winning self-titled debut album. " Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do " is an award-winning song performed by Christopher Cross, which was the theme to the 1981 film Arthur Arthur is a 1981 film set in New York City which tells the story of drunken playboy millionaire Arthur Bach ( Dudley Moore) who is on the brink of Dudley Stuart John Moore, CBE (19 April 1935 &ndash 27 March 2002 was an English Actor, Comedian and Musician. Liza May Minnelli (born March 12, 1946) is a legendary American actress and singer "Sailing" earned three awards at the 1981 Grammy Awards Ceremony, while "Arthur's Theme" won the Oscar for Best Original Song in 1981 (with co-composers Burt Bacharach, Carole Bayer Sager and Peter Allen. See also Musical groups established in 1981 Record labels established in 1981 List of 'years in music' The Grammy Awards (originally called the Gramophone Awards)—or Grammys —are presented annually by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences "The Oscar" redirects here for the film see The Oscar (film. The Academy Award for Best Original Song is one of the awards given annually to people working in the motion picture industry by the Academy of Motion Picture Burt Bacharach (ˈbækəræk born May 12, 1928) is an American Pianist and Composer. Carole Bayer Sager (born March 8 1947) is an American Lyricist, Songwriter and Singer. Peter Allen ( February 10, 1944 &ndash June 18, 1992) was an Australian Songwriter and Entertainer. )

Cross first played with a San Antonio 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. Warner Bros Entertainment Inc (or Warner Bros, Warner Bros Pictures) is one of the world's largest producers of Film and An album or record album is a collection of related audio or Music tracks distributed to the public Christopher Cross is the self-titled debut Album by Christopher Cross, released in 1980 (see 1980 in music) He is the first and 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. Norah Jones (born Geethali Norah Jones Shankar on March 30 1979) is an American Singer-songwriter, Pianist, Keyboardist Come Away with Me is the Debut album of pianist and singer Norah Jones, released February 26, 2002 on Blue Note Records " Don't Know Why " is a song written by Jesse Harris and originally appears on his 1999 album Jesse Harris & the Ferdinandos. Hits from this album included "Sailing", "Ride Like the Wind" (featuring backing vocals by Michael McDonald) and "Never Be the Same. Sailing is a #1 Easy Listening single written and performed by Christopher Cross on his 1980 eponymous debut album. Michael McDonald (born February 12, 1952, in St Louis Missouri) is an American R&B / soul Singer and Songwriter "

His second album, Another Page, which came out in 1983, included the hit songs "Think of Laura", "No Time For Talk", and "All Right. Another Page is Christopher Cross ' second studio album recorded in 1983. " "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. CBS Sports is a division of CBS which airs many of the sports telecasts in the United States. The 1983 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 48 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division The NC State Wolfpack men's Basketball team represents North Carolina State University in NCAA Division I men's basketball Phi Slama Jama was the Nickname of the University of Houston Cougars men's basketball teams from 1982 to 1984. Although Another Page sold respectably, it did not nearly live up to the high expectations set by his debut album. Another Page is Christopher Cross ' second studio album recorded in 1983.

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. Many think this has been due to his inability to transition to the music video format. Simply said, Cross' on-screen persona did not come across very well in the mid 1980s, when many bands like Duran Duran instead maintained an air of androgynous sexuality for their music videos. After his decline in the mid-1980s, Cross has gotten back in the groove, having toured and opened for various acts since the 90's and releasing his second Greatest Hits package in 2002.

Christopher Cross has completed a new Christmas album and on November 15, 2007 it was released exclusively on iTunes. iTunes is a proprietary digital media player application introduced by Apple Inc He is working on a new studio album to be released in 2008. Today, he does about 100 live performances a year. Cross performed on November 6 at Flemington Racecourse, singing Ride Like the Wind as part of the pre-race entertainment for the 2007 Melbourne Cup. Flemington Racecourse is a major Horse racing venue located in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Ride Like the Wind was a hit single by Christopher Cross in 1980 appearing on his Grammy-winning self-titled debut album. The 2007 Melbourne Cup, the 147th running of Australia's most prestigious Thoroughbred horse race was run on Tuesday November 6 2007, going at 300 PM

In recent years, his daughter, Madison has become a singer and actress.

Singles

Awards

• Academy Award for Best Song, 1981, "Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do)"
• Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song, 1981, "Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do)"
• Grammy, 1981 - Record of the Year - "Sailing"
• Grammy, 1981 - Album of the Year - Christopher Cross
• Grammy, 1981 - Best New Artist - Christopher Cross
• Grammy, 1981 - Song of the Year - "Sailing"
• Grammy, 1981 - Best Arrangement - "Sailing"

Discography

• Christopher Cross (1979)
• Another Page (1983)
• Every Turn of the World (1985)
• Back of My Mind (1988)
• Rendezvous (1992)
• The Best of Christopher Cross (1993)
• Window (1995)
• Walking in Avalon (1998)
• Greatest Hits Live (1999)
• Red Room (2000)
• The Very Best of Christopher Cross (2002)
• A Christopher Cross Christmas (2007)

In popular culture

• He is one of the many recurring characters on the Channel 101 series Yacht Rock, which featurized the fictionalized lives of soft/smooth and Yacht rock musicians from 1978-1984. Ride Like the Wind was a hit single by Christopher Cross in 1980 appearing on his Grammy-winning self-titled debut album. Sailing is a #1 Easy Listening single written and performed by Christopher Cross on his 1980 eponymous debut album. " Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do " is an award-winning song performed by Christopher Cross, which was the theme to the 1981 film Arthur The 1984 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIII Olympiad, were an International Multi-sport event held in Los Angeles, " Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do " is an award-winning song performed by Christopher Cross, which was the theme to the 1981 film Arthur " Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do " is an award-winning song performed by Christopher Cross, which was the theme to the 1981 film Arthur Christopher Cross is the self-titled debut Album by Christopher Cross, released in 1980 (see 1980 in music) Another Page is Christopher Cross ' second studio album recorded in 1983. Walking In Avalon, Christopher Cross ’ seventh album release is a double album package that contains Christopher's latest new studio album and Greatest Hits Live Channel 101 is a short film festival (usually monthly in Los Angeles created by Dan Harmon and Rob Schrab where participants submit a short film in Yacht Rock was an online video series following the Fictionalized lives and careers of American Soft rock stars of the late 1970s and early 1980s Some of his collaborators, such as Michael McDonald, are also featured on the series.

• Many people associate "Think of Laura" with the Luke and Laura plotline of the soap opera, General Hospital, which was very popular at the time, but it was actually written about a friend of Christopher's girlfriend at the time (named Laura) who had recently been killed by a stray bullet while riding in the back of a car[1]. Luke Spencer and Laura Webber Spencer are Fictional characters and the signature Supercouple from the American daytime drama General Hospital A soap opera is an ongoing episodic work of Fiction, usually broadcast on Television or Radio. General Hospital (commonly abbreviated GH) is an American Soap opera broadcast on the ABC television network during the

• Chris Griffin of Family Guy, is named after him, as his full name is Christopher Cross Griffin. Christopher "Chris" Griffin is a Fictional character from the animated series Family Guy. Family Guy is an animated American television sitcom created by Seth MacFarlane that airs on Fox and regularly on other

• In the Seinfeld episode "The Millennium", Newman reveals that he booked Cross for his Millennium Eve party, which he has been planning since 1978. Seinfeld is an American Situation comedy, or sitcom that originally aired on NBC from July 5 1989 to May 14 1998 lasting nine seasons Newman is a Recurring character on the Television show Seinfeld, played by Wayne Knight from 1991 until the show's finale in 1998

• Cross' single "Ride Like the Wind" is included in the Time Life compilation Soft Rock. Ride Like the Wind was a hit single by Christopher Cross in 1980 appearing on his Grammy-winning self-titled debut album.

• "Ride Like the Wind" was used as a video in an episode of Second City Television. Ride Like the Wind was a hit single by Christopher Cross in 1980 appearing on his Grammy-winning self-titled debut album. Second City Television (SCTV was a Canadian television Sketch comedy show offshoot from Toronto's The Second City troupe that ran between Rick Moranis plays the part of Michael McDonald doing the backing vocals. Frederick Alan "Rick" Moranis (born April 18, 1953) is a retired Canadian Actor, Comedian and Musician, He rushes to the studio and arrives just in time to sing the background vocals Such a long way to go.

Performances

• Cross contributed backing vocals, (along with The Beach Boys' Carl Wilson,) to David Lee Roth's 1985 hit "California Girls. The Beach Boys is an American rock band Formed in 1961 the group gained popularity for its close vocal harmonies and lyrics reflecting a California Youth culture Carl Dean Wilson ( December 21, 1946 – February 6, 1998) was an American Rock and roll Singer and Guitarist David Lee Roth (often referred to as "Diamond Dave" (born October 10 1954 Bloomington Indiana) is an American rock Vocalist " California Girls " is a Song written by Mike Love and Brian Wilson and recorded by The Beach Boys in 1965. "
• Cross performed the song "Sailing" alongside the pop band 'Nsync at the Fourth Annual Blockbuster Awards in 1999. Pop music as a genre features a noticeable rhythmic element catchy melodies and hooks, a mainstream style and conventional structure
• Cross also performed lead vocals on "So Far Away", a song from Alan Parsons' album On Air. Alan Parsons (b 20 December 1948 in London) is a British Audio engineer, Musician, and Record producer On Air is the second solo release by Alan Parsons following the split of The Alan Parsons Project. When Parsons was touring in support of that album, Cross would sometimes join 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. Terrell Hills is a city in Bexar County, Texas, United States, located five miles northeast of Downtown San Antonio. That home had earlier belonged to the Cummins family and another notable San Antonian, the historian and author Light Townsend Cummins, grew up in that same house a decade earlier. Light Townsend Cummins PhD (born 1946 is an educator and historian who grew up in San Antonio Texas, graduating from the San Antonio Academy and It has since been demolished.

External links

• The Official Website
• Arthur's Theme
• Music Guide entry
• CBS Sports highlights of the 1983 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament, featuring Cross' song "All Right"