Christen Cross
A Country Music/Blues Watch
She's our local girl-next-door with a feisty blues, soul-shining, voice with the ability to transport the listener to a livelier dimension of the universe. Singer, Christen Cross was born and raised in Waco, Texas—gaining in popularity via her love for music and her ability to provide dazzling moments of toe-tapping happiness to her audience. Yet another way to regard Crosses career would be to identify her as a performer whose early love of music provided a spiritual springboard for her musical inspirational mentors: The Gatlin Brothers, The Outlaws, and her favorite 80's Country songs. Her shining, singin-the-blues voice is a distinctive instrument gaining Nashville momentum as she releases her first CD this year.
Her Style
Christen bears watching—mark my words, as she brings a new level of blues-tinted sunshine into the country music world where female performers often act out the ideas of male impresarios. Cross is an original and will control the direction of her road from here on out.
Early Inspiration
Growing up in a lyrical hothouse environment where her performing instincts were encouraged in a musical family: Dad a singer / songwriter, Mom a vocalist / pianist, and aunts (both vocalists / pianists), the family were always gathered around the piano to sing gospel and country songs whenever everyone was together.
Christen played piano and sang in Waco Girls Choir and Seventh and James Baptist Church Children's and Youth Choirs. She strayed away from music in the 8th grade due to numerous school athletic activities, but continuously wrote poetry and lyrics. She could hear the melodies in her head yet no longer played the piano well enough to get the music out, and had not yet picked up a guitar.
Around that time, Christen's younger brother John Cross picked up their Dad�s old guitar and began to teach himself how to play. John continued playing guitar, performing, and writing songs for the next ten years and eventually moved to Austin to play music both as a solo act and with his band Boo Boo Swamp. Christen was John's biggest fan and whenever they were together they would hang out and Christen would back John vocally on harmonies.
Taking Her Music On the Road
Christen really wanted to sing and perform, but still had not picked up an instrument. John continued to encourage Christen to pick up the guitar. Upon the breakup of Boo Boo Swamp and John moving back to the Metroplex, Christen finally picked up the guitar and began writing in 2003.
Within 6 months she'd written her first two songs and decided to audition along with her brother as her own act for Johnny High's Country Music Revue. She and John were both accepted and both Christen and John were chosen to compete in the Johnny High Performer of the year competition. Though neither Christen or John won, the passion was ignited for Christen to continue to pursue songwriting and performing.
About the same time Christen landed her first regular Tuesday night gig, not having enough material at the time to cover a three hour show by herself, John and some of their friends helped Christen out with the gig, which lasted for almost a year. After a string of events Christen decided to move to Dallas in 2005, go back to school, and pursue music even harder. She wrote more songs, and played every open mic she could find in Dallas and surrounding areas to learn about being on stage—ever looking for a way to break into the music business as a full-time career and go the next level.
And the Band Began To Play
By the end of 2005 she'd put her first band together, “Christen Cross and the Documentary,” and was playing gigs either acoustic or with the Documentary regularly. While playing one last open mic with the Documentary, Randy Wilkinson and Brad Blackwood who assist with artist recruitment at Bill's Record Store heard Christen and her band and booked her for Bill's Records the following month.
By this time Christen was introduced to many great Texas musicians and songwriters and began to expand venues and gigs. By the summer of 2006 Christen entered The Shiner Rising Star Competition and was accepted. This event provided a networking and learning experience where she made some great contacts and formed her second band with serious, full-time musicians.
The CC Cross Band
December of 2006, the CC Cross (Christen Carol Cross) Band was officially formed. The CC Cross Band made a name for themselves as a very unique- sounding Texas music act, with Christen's powerful voice and the original writing styles of both Christen and John Cross.
In 2007, Christen played over 272 shows either acoustic or with her band including Taste of Dallas on the main stage, Out To Lunch Series 2007, and being a finalist in the 2007 Shiner Rising Star Competition.
Cross is working on recording her first album and many great things are coming to the music world from Christen in 2008 and the years to come…