Following Christopher Cross’ Progress Post-COVID
Cross: Grammy-winning Performer Looks To Be Back Next Year
Okay, here is a huge admission. I LOVE YACHT-ROCK. Seriously, give me some soft jazz tones and throw in some salty funk beats and I am dancing. On a table. Shirtless.
I’ll let visual sink in whilst I exclaim my favorite in that genre, Christopher Cross.
PHOTO: http://www.21stca.com/christopher-cross
However, I was really, really disheartened when I saw that Mr. Cross had been sidelined by COVID-19.
Back in June, the frequent performer at Walt Disney World posted on his Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/p/CBPPS-iFZCw/
“First of all I want to thank you all for your prayers and well wishes,” he wrote. “I’m happy to say I’m doing better.
“I am well over COVID-19 and my health issues at this point are from Guillain-Barre Syndrome, which was triggered by the COVID-19 infection.
“The paralysis in my face and hands has abated and I am finally able to make a smile and play guitar again.”
Well, there’s no doubt that for decades now, Christopher Cross has made many a fan smile with his guitar playing; especially in his many trips to Walt Disney World for festival appearances.
I am thinking I might want to remind folks who are under a certain age who Mr. Cross is.
Because even if hip hop is your thing or you’re busy tik tok’ ing you have heard CC’s music.
Of “Sailing”, Cross told Song Facts:
Well, I was just at home sitting in this cheap apartment, sitting at the table. I remember coming up with the verse and chorus, and the lyrics to the first verse of the chorus all came out. These tunings, like Joni used to say, they get you in this sort of trance, so all that came out at once: “It’s not far down to paradise…” The chorus just sort of came out.
So I got up and wandered around the apartment just thinking, “Wow, that’s pretty… great.” I just thought, “That’s really cool.” So then I sat down and had to try to come up with other stuff to make the rest of the song, but I thought I had something there.
Photo: Instagram @ChristopherCrossOfficial
Two years of work later, that cool song was a classic.
And now, the singer of some of the ’80s most iconic songs is battling back from his bout with Guillain-Barre Syndrome.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CDWWQfjlHJY/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
Recently, he added this picture of his work with the cane.
https://www.facebook.com/ChristopherCrossOfficial/posts/10157948175424032
And, while I have been lucky enough to enjoy Mr. Cross’ music over the years, I am luckier still to be able to see his thoughts and words come through the interwebs while he’s worked so hard to recover from his illness.
“I plan to be back performing next year and look forward to seeing you. Until then, be safe and please wear a mask,” he wrote, adding:
“Most of all, be compassionate with everyone around you. This is our time to be kind and take care of each other.”
Honestly, I just teared up typing that out as I thought, “Well heck, that is exactly how I thought the guy behind the song ‘Sailing’ would be.”
Mr. Cross performing in 1980, wearing his signature Houston Oilers shirt.
They say you shouldn’t ever meet your heroes, lest the reality of the person not live up to your putting them on a pedestal. Well, this is one pedestal I’m willing to maintain.
Finally, if there’s ANY way for this guy to be in the stands of the America Garden Theater at Epcot the next time Cristopher Cross hits Walt Disney World, “I’ll ride like the wind to make it…”
From 2017:
