Christopher Cross: Sailing a Sweet Spot

Christopher Cross occupies a curious place in music’s landscape: he’s not what you would call a “superstar,” but he’s far from a small name. And while his time in the spotlight was brief, his is a story of resilience in a world changing into something not friendly to his kind of work.

AN ERA WITHIN AN ERA

When talking about the 70’s, most of the focus goes to Disco, Punk, and Glam.

But in middle America, not everyone was involved in the nightlife or the underground clubs. The loudest, flashiest genres consume most of the oxygen, but other voices were there as well.

The “Singer-Songwriter” genre gave us some of the best-selling and most beloved stars in the industry, like James Taylor, Jim Croce, Joni Mitchell, and, of course, Christopher Cross.

Yet in August 1981, three simple letters would change things:  MTV.

SAILING THROUGH THE VIDEO STAR ERA

And just like that, music focused more on looks and visuals: video did indeed kill the radio star.

The years between the end of disco and the music video era were a ticking clock that told us pop culture wasn’t going to be the same again.

It’s oddly coincidental that Cross released his debut album on December 27, 1979, moving between gaps, small spaces, and opportunities during that window. It went five times platinum in America, and found a similar reception in the UK, France, and Germany.

His second single, “Sailing,” earned the soft-spoken Texan five Grammy awards. He became the first artist to win the main categories in the same year: “Album of the Year,” “Record of the Year,” “Song of the Year,” and “Best New Artist.”

Not bad for a rookie, and just when you thought the industry and the public couldn’t treat him any better, then came “Arthur’s Theme.”

The track from the 1981 Dudley Moore movie would make his name in the industry in the same way he did in music: brief but impactful.

Co-written with Burt Bacharach, Carole Bayer Sager, and Peter Allen, the song won both the Academy Award and the Golden Globe for “Best Original Song.” The tune remains a mainstay on lists of the best songs from films.

 SOPHOMORE YEARS

The second album was also a success, but had a more troubled history, including the use of some songs as tracks for the soap opera General Hospital (a decision Cross didn’t approve of).

As the decade marched on, his time in the sun began to fade, not because of any drama or scandals: times (and tastes) simply change. He’s since largely been consigned to the Yacht Rock category, with songs and a voice that’s reliably pleasing.

However, he was more successful than you might think: eight top 40’s, five Grammy Awards, and the two most prestigious awards the film industry can deliver.

Christopher Cross’s story is worthy of admiration: he swam against the tide, but knew his strengths, and did as much with them as he could during a particular sweet spot between music trends.

More often than not, that’s “the best that you can do.”

-Anthony Arrieta

Photo: Christopher Cross, 2008 (Jessie Pearl via Wikimedia Commons)