Product Code Database
Christopher Barron Gross, best known as Chris Barron (born February 5, 1968) is an American singer and songwriter, best known as the lead singer of Spin Doctors.
/ref> He has described his family as “this great big Jewish family”, with his ancestors coming from Russia. His uncle was Lennie Sogoloff, who owned
/ref>Barron spent his childhood in the Bronx and Rye, New York, and later moved to Australia for over three years when he was eight years old. As a child, Barron was interested in music and took guitar lessons. He studied music theory as an elective course in middle school.
When his family returned to the United States, Barron attended Princeton High School in Princeton, New Jersey,Staff. "Chris Barron: Spin Doctor helps old high school", Wilmington Morning Star, March 14, 1995. Accessed December 10, 2018. "Chris Barron, lead singer of the Spin Doctors, gave a pocketful of cash to his old high school. Mr. Barron returned to Princeton High School on Sunday for a benefit concert to help the New Jersey school choir raise money for its trip to England and France next month." the same school as
/ref>
He attended Bennington College in Vermont for one year. There, he was a member of two local bands: Dead Alcoholics With Boners and the Funbunnies. After leaving Bennington, Barron returned to Princeton, got a job at a restaurant, and immersed himself in music. During this time, he wrote "Jimmy Olsen's Blues" and "Two Princes".
On May 17, 1999, just two weeks before the release of the band's album Here Comes the Bride, Barron woke up unable to talk. He lost his voice due to a rare acute form of vocal cord paralysis that severely affected his ability to talk, let alone sing. He was told he had a 50-50 chance of ever talking or singing normally again. Band keyboardist Ivan Neville took over vocal duties for a few dates, but the band eventually cancelled the remainder of its tour.
Barron's voice came back in early 2000 (first comeback solo shows in March 2000), at which point he began performing with his band and the Give Daddy Five. Barron undertook what he calls "a journeyman songwriting experience," composing tunes with Blues Traveler's John Popper and with former BMI executive Jeff Cohen. A solo album called Shag was released in 1998, featuring diverse influences, including rock, jazz, Country music, and funk.
Spin Doctors remained inactive as a band until September 2001, when news about the closing of legendary NYC venue Wetlands sparked the original four members to reunite. On September 7, 2001, the original line-up took the stage for the first time since 1994 to play at Wetlands. It was the final closing week of the club. The landmark show was a great success for the fans and the band.
In 2009, he put out a solo album called Pancho and the Kid, and a year later he released an EP called Songs from the Summer of Sangria.
In 2012, Barron took part in the Norwegian selection for the Eurovision Song Contest, with The Canoes.
In 2017, Barron released Angels and One Armed Jugglers to positive reviews.
|
|
