Texas Musicians: Christopher Cross

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Well, I did warn you this was going to be a wild month. If you think the country music is bad you might really hate me for today’s artist in this monthlong look at my favorite Texas-born musicians. But hey, if you’ve read any of my music discussions you know I’m crazy. With that, here’s today’s singer. Christopher Cross Yeah, sue me. And I agree with Jimmy Buffett about “Sailing” (“he looks like he couldn’t tie a knot in a Hefty trash bag”). But I’m gonna tell you, Cross’ debut album was amazing. I still go back to it from time to time, because it really is a “soft rock” classic. (Oh, if you don’t like “soft rock,” beware…there’s another “certified” soft rock act coming later this month. ) His given name is Christopher Geppert. “Christopher Cross” was the name of a band he formed with some friends as a teenager, and he kept the moniker. Although he became the “soft rock” king for a few years, in reality Cross is a great guitarist…so much so that, as a 19-year-old, he filled in for Ritchie Blackmore at Deep Purple’s concert in San Antonio in 1970! (Blackmore got the flu from his flu shot [imagine that] and couldn’t do the gig, so they recruited a local guitarist/Deep Purple fan to fill in.) In his short stint at the top, Cross won five Grammy awards for his eponymous debut, and later won an Oscar for “Arthur’s Theme (Best That You Can Do)” from the film Arthur. He still makes music, although the “mainstream” world hasn’t thought of him since “Think of Laura” in 1982 or so. I still love that first album of his. Christopher Cross Born Christopher Charles Geppert May 3, 1951, San Antonio (age 73) Here’s “Poor Shirley” from the first album: