A new wind reaches the sails of one of yacht rock's defining masterpieces, courtesy of Omnivore Recordings.

The label will offer an expanded reissue of the self-titled debut album from Christopher Cross, the unforgettable 1979 release that became a commercial juggernaut and propelled the unlikely star to the music business' upper echelon. The CD or 2LP release will feature 11 bonus tracks including the rare non-album single "Mary Ann" and a slew of demos, six of which are made available for the first time anywhere - including several songs never before issued by Cross. (The set uses Bernie Grundman's impeccable original album master, with engineer Michael Graves restoring the bonus material to prime condition.) The package features liner notes by journalist Gene Sculatti - the former editorial director of Cross' then-label Warner Bros. Records - complete with new insights courtesy of an interview with the album's producer Michael Omartian.

The story of Christopher Cross' breakthrough belies his unassuming nature. Born Chris Geppert and raised as a self-described army brat, his guitar skills made him the envy of the scene in San Antonio and Austin, Texas, where he spent his formative years. (According to legend, Geppert sold a Fender Stratocaster in the early '70s to a shop that gave the instrument to a rising bluesman named Stevie Ray Vaughan, who adopted it as his "Number One" signature accompaniment.) He reportedly turned down a gig with Steely Dan, but subbed at least once for Richie Blackmore in Deep Purple; by the end of the decade, he'd been playing with a band comprised of high school friends Rob Meurer on keyboards and bassist Andy Salmon, along with drummer Tommy Taylor. Their name: Christopher Cross!

Christopher Cross scored a deal with Warner Bros. as a solo artist, although his bandmates were present for the sessions with producer Omartian. The tracks were augmented with a murderer's row of heavy hitters, including Omartian on keys, guitarists Jay Graydon and Larry Carlton, percussionist Larry Castro, a gentle string section and prime vocalists including Don Henley and J.D. Souther of the Eagles ("The Light is On"), Nicolette Larson ("Say You'll Be Mine"), Valerie Carter ("Spinning") and a crucial assist from Michael McDonald of The Doobie Brothers on "Ride Like the Wind."

Cross' distinctive, light-touch vocals and sturdy songcraft made for a stellar album. Its singles blanketed the Billboard Hot 100 across 1980: "Ride Like the Wind" soared to No. 2, followed by the hypnotically gentle "Sailing" - a No. 1 hit that summer - and the Top 20 hit/adult contemporary chart-topper "Never Be the Same." Omartian's impeccable production (one of the first major digital recordings) retrospectively helped codify a mellow, semi-ironic subgenre known as "yacht rock," inspired by a popular web series which featured Cross as a character. The real coronation, though, happened at the 23rd Annual Grammy Awards: Christopher Cross, Christopher Cross and "Sailing" became the first act, album and song to sweep the "Big Four" general categories of Album, Record and Song of the Year as well as Best New Artist - a feat that wouldn't even be repeated until Billie Eilish's breakthrough in 2020. (Cross also took home a trophy for "Sailing" in the category of Best Arrangement Accompanying Vocalists.) Christopher Cross would ultimately move more than five million copies in America alone.

A year later, Cross made his mark on Hollywood, co-writing and singing the Oscar-winning "Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do)" with Burt Bacharach, Carole Bayer Sager and Peter Allen for the Dudley Moore comedy Arthur. He wouldn't release another solo album until 1983's Another Page, which featured hits "Alright" and "Think of Laura." His career cooled considerably once MTV started to reach the mainstream, but he's never stopped recording and touring, even after an early contraction of COVID-19 in 2020 caused a flare-up of Guillain-Barre syndrome that briefly rendered him unable to walk. Christopher Cross remains his signature album - one well worth revisiting in this new edition. It's available digitally now and will be released physically on June 20. (As an Amazon affiliate, we earn from qualifying purchases.)

 

Christopher Cross, Christopher Cross (Expanded Edition) (Omnivore OVCD/LP-587, 2025)

CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
2LP: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada

* previously unreleased

1. Say You'll Be Mine
2. I Really Don't Know Anymore
3. Spinning
4. Never Be the Same
5. Poor Shirley
6. Ride Like the Wind
7. The Light is On
8. Sailing
9. Minstrel Gigolo
10. Mary Ann
11. Say You'll Be Mine (Demo)
12. I Really Don't Know Anymore (Demo) *
13. Parade (Demo)
14. Smiles of Angels (Demo) *
15. What Am I Supposed to Believe (Demo) *
16. Ride Like the Wind (Demo)
17. The Light is On (Demo) *
18. Passengers (Demo) *
19. Say Goodbye to Mary Ann (Demo) *
20. Sailing (Demo)

Tracks 1-9 released as Warner Bros. BSK 3383, 1979
Track 10 released on Warner Bros. Japanese single P-641W, 1980
Tracks 13, 16 and 20 released on The Complete Works box set - Christopher Cross Records CCR 500121, 2020