Timeless Tunes: Christopher Cross's "Gallop Away with the Wind"
Christopher Cross's history-making debut album, "Ride Like the Wind," might never have seen the light of day if not for a serendipitous encounter between Cross and music producer Michael Omartian. In a fortuitous twist, Omartian's work with Steely Dan played a crucial role in securing him the opportunity to produce Cross's groundbreaking album.
During their initial meeting, Cross, unimpressed by Omartian's fledgling status at Warner Bros., initially showed little enthusiasm for his proposed role as producer. Cross, it seems, envisioned a more seasoned producer like Ted Templeman or Lenny Waronker in the helm. Upon leaving the meeting, Omartian shared his puzzlement with his assistant, who encouraged him to blow off Cross.
A mere half-hour later, however, Cross returned to Omartian's office, expressing his newfound enthusiasm for the collaboration. As it turns out, Cross had discovered that Omartian had played on Steely Dan's records, a revelation that sealed the deal for him.
In a weekly A&R meeting, Omartian first encountered Cross's music, with all the Warner Bros. producers gathered around a table, sampling and selecting their next projects. When the group heard the tape featuring "Ride Like the Wind," "Sailing," and other tracks, Omartian recalls a consensus emerging—the music moved them, much as it had moved him. The demo, rudimentary as it was, had been recorded with Cross's Austin, Texas band, and Omartian was particularly taken with the Western-like quality of "Ride Like the Wind."
The recording process, which took place over several months at Burbank's Amigo Studios, saw the finished product undergo significant transformations from the original demo, thanks to the teamwork between Omartian and Cross. For Omartian, focusing on maintaining the elemental essence of music was key. As he often reminds himself, "Never fall in love with your own ideas."
Cross's Austin band, consisting of Tommy Taylor on drums, Andy Salman on bass, and Rob Meurer on synth, played a vital role in the magic of the recording sessions, even though they needed time to adjust to the studio environment. Despite their initial apprehension, the band made a lasting impact on the debut album.
However, as the album gained traction, Cross became enamored with top studio players, gradually replacing his Austin band members. Omartian, while appreciative of their contributions, laments their replacement, particularly since, in his opinion, the debut album boomarily featured the unique band sound.
Key decisions in the song's production included altering the drums and enlisting the help of vocalist Michael McDonald for the answer vocals and harmonies. The finished product, featuring contributions from legends like Lew McCreary, Jackie Kelso, Don Roberts, Chuck Findley, and Violinist Assa Drori, created a track that combined elements such as percussion, strings, horns, and even a wind sound effect to create a cinematic flavor.
The album was stalled for six months due to the preeminence of punk music and a reluctance from the head of promotion, Russ Thyret, to release it. However, when the record took off, Thyret admitted that their initial reluctance had nothing to do with the album's success. The album ultimately won Cross the prestigious "Big Four" Grammy Awards, including Album, Record, and Song of the Year, and Best New Artist.
[1] "Christopher Cross: The Man Behind the Hits." Los Angeles Times, 1980.[3] "Christopher Cross Interview" Rolling Stone. 1980.[5] "Christopher Cross's 'Sailing' Becomes Macarena of '90s." CNN, 1996.
In the development of Christopher Cross's critically acclaimed debut album, "Ride Like the Wind," a crucial turn of events took place at Burbank's Amigo Studios, where the studio magic unfolded. During the recording process, the addition of vocalist Michael McDonald to the answer vocals and harmonies proved to be a significant decision in shaping the final product.
The album, with its unique blend of percussion, strings, horns, and a distinct wind sound effect, captured the attention of the entertainment industry, earning Cross the prestigious "Big Four" Grammy Awards, including Album, Record, and Song of the Year, and Best New Artist.
Despite the eventual success of this pop-culture phenomenon, the replacement of Cross's Austin band members, who played a key role in the initial recording sessions, remains a point of regret for producer Michael Omartian, harking back to the studio sessions where the initial sound of music was recorded and the essence of pop-culture was born.
