Christopher Cross

by Christopher Cross

Overview

Christopher Cross' debut was a huge hit and widely acclaimed, at least among industry professionals (critics didn't give it a second listen), leading to multi-platinum success and Grammys. In retrospect, it might seem like the kind of success that's disproportional to the record itself, especially to hipper-than-thou younger generations, but in truth, Christopher Cross was a hell of a record -- it just was a hell of a soft rock record, something that doesn't carry a lot of weight among most audiences. That doesn't erase Cross' considerable gifts as a craftsman. Yes, he does favor sentimentality and can be very sweet on the ballads, but his melodicism is rich and construction tight, so there's a sturdy foundation for the classy professional gloss provided by his studio pros and friends, including indelible backing vocals by Michael McDonald. And while the hits like the dreamy "Sailing" and the surging "Ride Like the Wind" deserved all the attention, they're hardly the only highlights here -- to borrow a sports metaphor, this has a deep bench, and there's not a weak moment here. In fact, soft rock albums hardly ever came better than this, and it remains one of the best mainstream albums of its time. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Product Details

Release Date:	07/12/2024
Label:	Seeker Music Group
UPC:	8721056921614
Rank:	162967

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Christopher Cross   Primary Artist,Vocals,Soloist,Guitar (Acoustic),Guitar (Electric),Vocals (Background),Guitar
Michael Omartian   Guitar (Acoustic),Vocals (Background),Piano,Vocals,Strings,Keyboards,Synthesizer,Piano (Electric)
Tomas Ramirez   Soloist,Saxophone
Tommy Taylor   Drums
Victor Feldman   Percussion,Vibraphone
Myrna Mathews   Vocals (Background)
Eric Johnson   Guitar,Guitar,Soloist
Don Henley   Vocals,Vocals (Background)
Jay Graydon   Guitar
Lenny Castro   Percussion
Marti McCall   Vocals
Myrna Matthews   Vocals,Vocals (Background)
Rob Meurer   Organ,Piano,Celeste,Keyboards,Synthesizer,Piano (Electric)
Valerie Carter   Vocals,Vocals (Background)
Marty McCall   Vocals (Background)
Lew McCreary   Trombone
Nicolette Larson   Vocals,Vocals (Background)
Michael McDonald   Vocals,Vocals (Background)
Stormie Omartian   Vocals,Vocals (Background)
Assa Drori   Conductor
Jackie Kelso   Saxophone
Jim Horn   Saxophone
Andy Salmon   Bass,Guitar (Bass)
Don Roberts   Saxophone
Chuck Findley   Horn,Trumpet,Flugelhorn
Larry Carlton   Guitar
J.D. Souther   Vocals,Vocals (Background)

Technical Credits

Michael Omartian   Horn Arrangements,String Arrangements,Arranger,Producer
Michael Ostin   Assistant Producer,Production Assistant
Jimmy Newhouse   Concept
Flournoy Holmes   Artwork
Stuart Gitlin   Engineer,Second Engineer
James Flournoy Holmes   Design
Christopher Cross   Arranger,Composer,Lyricist
Rob Meurer   Arranger
Gavin Sutherland   Composer
Bobby Hata   Mastering,Mastering Engineer
Gunter F. Pfanz   Mastering Engineer
Chet Himes   Mixing,Engineer,Mixing Engineer