Gavin Christopher (May 1, 1949 – March 3, 2016) was an American R&B singer, songwriter, musician, and producer.

Early life and career

Born in

Chicago, Illinois Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...

, he started out playing music at a very early age. Having been schooled by the likes of

Oscar Brown Jr Oscar Brown Jr. (October 10, 1926May 29, 2005) was an American singer, songwriter, playwright, poet, actor, and civil rights activist (Brown was African-American). Brown discovered The Jackson 5. Aside from his career, Brown ran unsuccessfully ...

Donny Hathaway Donny Edward Hathaway (October 1, 1945 – January 13, 1979) was an American soul singer, keyboardist, songwriter, backing vocalist, and arranger who ''Rolling Stone'' described as a "soul legend". His most popular songs include " The Ghetto" ...

Baby Huey Baby Huey is a gigantic and naïve duckling cartoon character. He was created by Martin Taras for Paramount Pictures' Famous Studios, and became a Paramount cartoon star during the 1950s. Huey first appeared in ''Quack-a-Doodle-Doo'', a Paramount ...

and later on

Curtis Mayfield Curtis Lee Mayfield (June 3, 1942 – December 26, 1999) was an American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and record producer. Dubbed the " Gentle Genius", he is considered one of the most influential musicians of soul and socially conscious Afric ...

, he honed his writing and singing skills and began his career, first in a band called Lyfe (which also included

Chaka Khan Yvette Marie Stevens (born March 23, 1953), better known by her stage name Chaka Khan ( ), is an American singer. Known as the " Queen of Funk", her career has spanned more than five decades beginning in the early 1970s as the lead vocalist of ...

). Khan then left and joined

Rufus Rufus is a masculine given name, a surname, an Ancient Roman cognomen and a nickname (from Latin ''wikt:rufus, rufus'', "red"). Notable people with the name include: Given name Politicians * Marcus Caelius Rufus, (28 May 82 BC – after 48 ...

(scoring several pop and R&B hits with them). Christopher later joined another band called High Voltage with future Rufus members Bobby Watson (bassist) and Tony Maiden, as well as Lalomie Washburn, who later wrote several Rufus songs. Christopher himself would also become associated with Rufus, as he penned the song " Once You Get Started", which was later recorded by the band and hit #10 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 in 1975. He also wrote three songs on Rufus' next album, '' Rufus featuring Chaka Khan'': "Dance Wit Me" (another big hit), "Fool's Paradise," and "Have A Good Time." Christopher relocated to O' block, Chicago, where he was signed to his first

recording contract A recording contract (commonly called a record contract or record deal) is a legal agreement between a record label and a recording act (artist or group), where the act makes an audio recording (or series of recordings) for the label to sell and ...

with

Island Records Island Records is a multinational record label owned by Universal Music Group. It was founded in Jamaica by Chris Blackwell, Graeme Goodall, and Leslie Kong in 1959, and was eventually sold to PolyGram in 1989. Island and A&M Records, another ...

. He later moved back to Los Angeles, California to record and work with

on the Curtom/RSO record label. He worked with

Herbie Hancock Herbert Jeffrey Hancock (born April 12, 1940) is an American jazz musician, bandleader, and composer. He started his career with trumpeter Donald Byrd's group. Hancock soon joined the Miles Davis Quintet, where he helped to redefine the role of ...

, writing and singing on several of his albums. Christopher also penned the Hancock song, "Stars in Your Eyes". Following a move to

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

, Christopher signed with EMI Manhattan Records and scored his biggest single, " One Step Closer to You" (his only Hot 100 hit as an artist, #22 in 1986) and another major R&B hit two years later with "You Are Who You Love." He also produced music for artists such as

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and

The Ritchie Family The Ritchie Family are an American vocal group based in Philadelphia that achieved several chart-topper, hits during the disco era. They have reunited and continue to perform. Their latest single "Whatcha Got" was released in 2021. Background ...

, as well as mentored and worked with a young

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prior to her getting her big break. He was heavily involved in the early

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scene, writing such hits as "Girls Love the Way He Spins", "Sign of the Time", "We Gonna Rock America" and "All Night All Right". Gavin's sister is

dance music Dance music is music composed specifically to facilitate or accompany dancing. It can be either a whole piece or part of a larger musical arrangement. In terms of performance, the major categories are live dance music and recorded dance musi ...

vocalist

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. Gavin Christopher died on March 3, 2016, in Chicago of Esaughagus failure at the age of 66. He is survived by his daughter Chloe Zae Jackson.

Solo discography

Albums

* 1976: ''Gavin Christopher

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' * 1979: ''Gavin Christopher

979 Year 979 (Roman numerals, CMLXXIX) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. It was the 979th year of the Common Era and the Anno Domini designation, the 979th year of the 1st millennium, the 79th year of the 10th century, ...

' * 1986: '' One Step Closer'' * 1987: ''

Gavin Gavin is a Celtic male given name. It is the Scottish variation of the medieval Welsh name Gawain, meaning 'God send' or 'white hawk/falcon'. Sir Gawain is a knight of King Arthur's Round Table. ''Sir Gawain and the Green Knight'' is an epic poem ...

Singles

* 1976: "Good Stuff" * 1976: "Love Has a Face of Its Own" * 1979: "Feelin' the Love" (U.S. R&B #77) * 1985: "Best Part of the Night" (

Jeff Lorber Jeffrey H. Lorber (born November 4, 1952) is an American keyboardist, composer, and record producer. After six previous nominations, Lorber won his first Grammy Award on January 28, 2018 for Best Contemporary Instrumental Album for ''Prototype'' ...

feat. Gavin Christopher) * 1986: " One Step Closer to You" (U.S. #22, U.S. R&B #25, U.S. Dance #9, U.K. #99) * 1986: "Back in Your Arms" * 1988: "You Are Who You Love" (U.S. R&B #10)Gavin Christopher- Charting R&B singles @Billboard.com
Retrieved October 21, 2012. * 1988: "Can't Put Out the Fire"

Miscellaneous appearances

The following is a partial listing of recordings Christopher appears on and produced * 1979: Gavin Christopher Gavin Christopher - Percussion, Piano, Conga, Vocals, Clavinet, Producer * 1979: Gonna Getcha Love Charles Jackson - producer' Keyboards, Vocals * 1980: Monster Herbie Hancock - Vocals * 1981: Magic Windows Herbie Hancock - Vocals, Bass Arrangement * 1982: Paradise Leroy Hutson - Background Vocals * 1985: They Said It Couldn't Be Done Grandmaster Flash - producer, Synthesizer, Bass, Percussion, Keyboards, Programming, producer, Horn Arrangements, String Arrangements, Drum Programming, Mixing, Synthesizer Bass, Simmons Drums, System Programming * 1986: Beware (The Funk Is Everywhere) Afrika Bambaataa - Producer * 1987: Gavin Gavin Christopher Mic MurphyDavid Frank - Keyboards, Vocals producers * 1990: Brilliant! Kym Mazelle - Vocal Arrangement * 1992: " Don't Lose the Magic" (

) - producer, songwriter * 1993: Club Classics 1982–1984, Vol. 1 Various Artists - producer, Arranger, producer, Mixing * 1993: Soul Mission Soul Mission - Vocals * 1995: Best Disco in Town: The Best of the Ritchie Family The Ritchie Family - Producer * 1996: Adventures of Grandmaster Flash, Melle Mel & the Furi Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five/Mel - Producer * 1997: Too Much Woman Brigette McWilliams - Background Vocals * 1997: Whatever Happened to the Blues Phil Upchurch - Vocals * 2000: Best of Herbie Hancock: The Hits Herbie Hancock - Arranger, Vocals * 2001: Breakin' Arthur Baker - Piano, Vocals * 2001: Mr. Funk Herbie Hancock - Chant * 2002 Bullet Proof Bruce Conte - Vocals * 2002: Evolution Will Not Be Televised Aquabox - Vocals, Background Vocals, Produce * 2002: Herbie Hancock Box Herbie Hancock - Vocals * 2004: D'Soca Zone 5th Spin Various Artists - Producer * 2006: Chicago LP Chicago's Finest - Background Vocals producer * 2006: Definitive Groove Collection Grandmaster Flash Producer, Original Recording - Producer * 2006: Everyday People Project Steve Harvey - Background Vocals * 2006: Fresh and Furious: Hip Hop's Beginning Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five - Synthesizer, Bass, Percussion, Keyboards, Programming, Tom-Toms, Gavin Christopher Producer, Horn Arrangements, String Arrangements, Mixing] * 2007: Daily News ircuit City ExclusiveDonnie - Background Vocals * 2007: Daily News Donnie - Background Vocals avin Christopher [IslandGavin Christopher ">sland.html" ;"title="avin Christopher [Island">avin Christopher [IslandGavin Christopher Guitar, Piano, Conga, Keyboards, Vocals, Background Vocals, Clavinet, producer * Heat for the Feets Lee Garrett - Background Vocals * One Step Closer Gavin Christopher - Synthesizer, Keyboards, Background Vocals, producer * Way Ian Martin - Vocals * 2008: Cleveland brown. A partial list of albums Gavin Christopher's songs appear on: * Aquabox – Evolution Will Not Be Televised * Loletta Holloway – "Crash Goes Love" (1987) * Beatstreet – "Breakdance"/vocals (1987) * Average White Band – Feel No Fret * Candy Dulfer – For the Love of You * Kenny Dope – Strange Games and Funky Things, Vol. 3 * Grandmaster Flash – They said it couldn't be done * Adventures of Grandmaster Flash, Melle Mel Shango funk theology * Africa Bambatta * Herbie Hancock – Best of Herbie Hancock: The Hits Herbie Hancock Monster * Chaka Khan – Life Is a Dance (The Remix Project) * Manila Thriller – Please * Brigette McWilliams - Too Much Woman * Rufus – Rufusized * Rufus & Chaka Khan – Rufus Featuring Chaka Khan * Rufus & Chaka Khan – Stompin' at the Savoy (Live) * Original Soundtrack Prefontaine

References

External links

MySpace Page
{{DEFAULTSORT:Christopher, Gavin 1949 births 2016 deaths American keyboardists Record producers from Illinois 20th-century African-American male singers 20th-century American male singers 20th-century American singers Singers from Chicago Island Records artists RSO Records artists African-American male singer-songwriters American male singer-songwriters 21st-century African-American male singers 21st-century American male singers Singer-songwriters from Illinois