by George Mallas, songwriter, co-host Sandro, George & the O.G. and contributor to HearItThere
Sunday, February 26, 2023
I know he may not like to admit this, but Chris Brown has been writing and performing his music for almost 50 years. How do I know this, you ask? Well, I’ve known Chris since we were both about 12 years old. He was raised in Pelham Manor, NY, along with his two siblings. Our paths crossed daily at times as we were both in the same grammar school (Chris was a year ahead). We played sports together, but back then I can’t recall a single conversation about music.
Today is a totally different story. Chris has had an amazing career in both music and art. From sculpting to illustrating and of course, writing and performing music. Chris has carved out a full career. This included working at the Gannet newspaper as an illustrator for 16 years.
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Recently, Chris was a guest on the Facebook Live Show: Sandro, George and the OG, where he played live and talked about his music and art career. (The show airs most Tuesday nights at 7pm on FB live and also on Youtube). You can watch the January 17, 2023 interview on YouTube.
As a Singer/Songwriter, Chris has spread his wings. His band, The Bookends Band has been playing together for 47 years in one form or another. He has also been part of a John Prine retrospective and performs as a duo and mostly, solo artist. Chris has five full length albums to his credit, and continues to write and perform regularly in the Hudson Valley, New York region.
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With Saint Patrick’s Day not far off, Chris will be in demand to perform Irish songs, which were a big part of the music heard in his home growing up. This year March 17 will be taking a back seat as he’s been invited to play a showcase at SXSW in Austin, Texas. Chris says, “It’s the first time I’ll be out of town for St Patrick’s Day in 40+ years of performing, but it’s for a good cause!” Fans of his music will have a multitude of opportunities to hear him sing Irish tunes all through March.
You may ask why is Chris the busiest man in the music biz; the answer is simple – he gigs between 5-7 times a week along with doing an online show titled The Brown Cafe occasionally from his home. Chris has built an envious following by being not just a fantastic musician, writer and performer, but by caring about his audience.
To check out Chris’ music and see where he is playing, go to: https://www.christopherbrownmusic.com/
