The Very Best of Christopher Cross

Performer: Christopher Cross
Artist: Richard Marx
Engineer: Chet Himes; Daniel Protheroe; Doug Rider; Frank Wolf; Tom Fouce; Gabe Veltri; Tony Phillips; Mark Casselman; Jeremy Smith; John Guess; Lee Herschberg; Mark Linett; Michael Vail Blum; Paul Dieter; Richard Mullen; Terry Christian; Bill Johnson's Louisiana Jug Band
Distributor: WEA (Distributor)

Notes: Personnel includes: Christopher Cross (vocals, guitar); Frances Ruffelle, Jay Graydon (guitar); Eric Johnson (electric guitar); Michael Omartian (acoustic piano, keyboards, synthesizer); Rob Meurer (electric piano, synthesizer); Andy Salmon, Joe Chemay, David Hungate (bass); Chris Ralles, Tommy Taylor, Jeff Pocardo, John Robinson (drums); Paulino DaCosta (percussion); Alexandra Brown, Lynn Bythe Davis, Khalig Glover, Richard Marx (backgorund vocals). Producers: Christopher Cross, Rob Meurer, Michael Omartian, Steve Dorff, Scott Frankfurt. Compilation producers: Christopher Cross, David McLees. Digitally remastered by Dan Hersch and Bill Inglot (Digiprep). Personnel: Christopher Cross (vocals, guitar); Frances Ruffelle, Gigi Worth (vocals); Steve Lukather (guitar, electric guitar); Michael Hart Thompson (guitar); Eric Johnson , Jay Graydon (electric guitar); Tollak Ollestad (harmonica); Ernie Watts, Gary Herbig, Kim Hutchcroft, Tom Scott (saxophone); Chuck Findley, Gary Grant, Jerry Hey (trumpet); Michael Omartian (piano, keyboards, synthesizer); Rob Meurer (electric piano, keyboards, synthesizer); Robbie Buchanan (keyboards, bass synthesizer); Claude Gaudette (keyboards, drum programming); Patrick Leonard (keyboards); Michael Baird , John "J.R." Robinson , Chris Ralles, Jeff Porcaro, Steve Gadd , Tommy Taylor (drums); Paulinho Da Costa (congas, percussion); Victor Feldman, Lenny Castro (percussion); Alexandra Brown, Khaliq Glover, Marty McCall, Michael McDonald , Nicolette Larson, Portia Griffin, Richard Marx, Stormie Omartian, Vesta Williams, Myrna Matthews (background vocals). Audio Mixers: Chet Himes; Doug Rider; Gabe Veltri; Jeremy Smith ; John Guess; Terry Christian. Audio Remasterers: Dan Hersch; Bill Inglot. Audio Remixer: Mark Casselman. Recording information: Angel Studios, Islington, London, England; Bleach Bros. Studios, Woodland Hills, CA; Capitol Studios, Hollywood, CA; Christopher's Place, Santa Barbara, CA; Groovemasters, Santa Monica, CA; Homelands Studios, Beverly Hills, CA; Lion Share Studios, Santa Monica, CA; O'Henry Studios, Burbank, CA; Orange Whip Studios, Santa Barbara, CA; Pat's Playroom, Los Angeles, CA; Pecan street Studios, Austin, TX; Pop'N'Roll, Santa Monica, CA; Saucer Sound, Austin, TX; Studio South, Austin, TX; The Lighthosue, North Hollywood, CA; The Zoo, Encino, CA; Warner Bros. Recording Studios (Amigo), North Hollywood. Arrangers: Christopher Cross; Michael Omartian; Rob Meurer. Christopher Cross had a long career, but he peaked early. His eponymous first album produced four Top 20 hits, highlighted by "Sailing," and won five Grammys -- a record at the time. His streak continued with "Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do)," a collaboration with Burt Bacharach, Peter Allen, and Carole Bayer Sager that served as the theme for Dudley Moore's smash Arthur. Cross delivered a second album, Another Page, that sounded similar to the first and sold respectably well until it generated a genuine hit with "Think of Laura," thanks to General Hospital adopting it as a love theme for their Luke and Laura plot line. After that, Cross slipped away, although he released another five albums between that record and 2002's compilation, The Very Best of Christopher Cross. The problem with this compilation is that it doesn't take into consideration that early peak -- it treats each album with equal respect, with as many songs taken from 1998's Walking in Avalon and Red Room as from 1983's Another Page. While this may satisfy the artist and the die-hards who have listened with dedication over the years, those who loved the warm soft rock of the albums -- either as a guilty pleasure or without shame -- will find this collection profoundly disappointing, since after the eighth track, the collection takes a sharp turn toward fussy, sterile adult contemporary production, and it's never as pleasing to the ear as those first eight songs. This is a problem, because the collection succeeds in one respect (providing a comprehensive history) while failing in another (being an enjoyable listen). Though some will undoubtedly like this approach to Cross' career, most will wish that the compilers took Cross' early peak into account, since this collection would have been much more enjoyable. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Christopher Cross shot to stardom with the release of his self-titled debut album in 1980. Cross's smooth brand of adult contemporary pop set the standard for the genre in the `80s, as the singles "Ride Like the Wind" and "Sailing" were a constant presence on the radio. Cross walked away with an unprecedented five Grammys for the album, and shortly after had another smash hit with "Arthur's Theme (The Best That You Can Do)," a song he co-wrote with Burt Bacharach, Carole Bayer Sager, and Peter Allen for the film ARTHUR. The single "Think of Laura" from his sophomore effort ANOTHER PAGE cracked the Top Ten, but otherwise Cross never repeated the phenomenal success of his debut. He continued to record and tour throughout the `90s and 2000s, releasing the albums EVERY TURN OF THE WORLD and THE RED ROOM, among others.

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