Artist Detailed Info: Chris De Burgh

Christopher John Davison (born 15 October 1948), known professionally as Chris de Burgh, is an Irish singer-songwriter and musician born in Argentina. He began his career performing art rock before moving towards a more pop-oriented style. He has achieved several top 40 singles in the United Kingdom and two in the United States, and has been particularly successful in countries such as Norway and Brazil. His songs "A Spaceman Came Travelling" (1975) and "The Lady in Red" (1986) are among his best known works. Over the course of his career, he has sold more than 45 million albums worldwide.

De Burgh was born in Venado Tuerto, Argentina, to Charles John Davison, a British diplomat, and Maeve Emily de Burgh. His maternal grandfather, Eric de Burgh, was a British Army officer who served as Chief of the General Staff in India during the Second World War. He adopted his mother’s maiden name as his stage name, while his legal surname remained Davison. During his childhood, he lived in several countries, including Malta, Nigeria and the Belgian Congo, due to his father’s diplomatic and engineering work.

The family later settled at Bargy Castle in County Wexford, Ireland, which his father had purchased and converted into a hotel. De Burgh performed there for guests at a young age. He was educated at Marlborough College in England, where he was a contemporary of Nick Drake, and later studied English and French at Trinity College Dublin.

He signed his first recording contract with A&M Records in 1974 and supported Supertramp on tour. His debut album, "Far Beyond These Castle Walls" (1974), did not achieve chart success in the United Kingdom or United States, although the single "Turning Round" (released as "Flying" outside the UK and Ireland) performed strongly in Brazil. His second album, "Spanish Train and Other Stories" (1975), expanded his audience and included songs such as "Patricia the Stripper" and "A Spaceman Came Travelling".

Throughout the late 1970s, albums including "At the End of a Perfect Day" (1977) and "Crusader" (1979) helped build a cult following, although mainstream commercial success remained limited in major markets. His first UK chart entry came with the compilation "Best Moves" (1981), followed by the album "The Getaway" (1982), which reached the top 30 in the UK and top 50 in the United States. The single "Don't Pay the Ferryman" became his first to chart in both countries.

De Burgh achieved wider international success with "Man on the Line" (1984), which performed strongly in Europe. His greatest commercial success came in 1986 with the single "The Lady in Red", which reached number one in the UK and number three in the US. The accompanying album "Into the Light" reached number two in the UK. A re-release of "A Spaceman Came Travelling" also returned to the UK charts later that year.

The follow-up album "Flying Colours" (1988) debuted at number one in the UK and Ireland and included the single "Missing You". Although his chart performance in the United States and United Kingdom declined in the early 1990s, he continued to maintain an international audience. In 1997, he recorded "There's a New Star Up in Heaven Tonight" in tribute to Diana, Princess of Wales.

In 2008, he released "Footsteps", an album of cover versions, followed by "Footsteps 2" (2011). He has also performed internationally, including concerts in regions where Western artists had rarely appeared. On 15 October 2021, he released the single "Legacy" from his album "The Legend of Robin Hood".

In October 2024, de Burgh released the album "50", marking fifty years in the music industry. He has also made occasional television appearances, including a guest appearance on "LOL: Last One Laughing Ireland".

Studio albums
Far Beyond These Castle Walls (1974)
Spanish Train and Other Stories (1975)
At the End of a Perfect Day (1977)
Crusader (1979)
Eastern Wind (1980)
The Getaway (1982)
Man on the Line (1984)
Into the Light (1986)
Flying Colours (1988)
Power of Ten (1992)
This Way Up (1994)
Quiet Revolution (1999)
Timing Is Everything (2002)
The Road to Freedom (2004)
The Storyman (2006)
Footsteps (2008)
Moonfleet & Other Stories (2010)
Footsteps 2 (2011)
Home (2012)
The Hands of Man (2014)
A Better World (2016)
The Legend of Robin Hood (2021)

Chris De Burgh Karaoke (MP3 Playback) files:

♫ The Lady In Red
♫ High on Emotion
♫ Ship to Shore
♫ Borderline
♫ Don t Pay the Ferryman

→ Show all Chris De Burgh Karaoke Files

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