Chris Blair

Hey OFF! readers, wanna hear what a cross between Garth Brooks and Rascal Flatts would sound like? Neither do we. Or at least we didn't until we met local artist Chris Blair. He's had three number one hits on the independent country charts and won the New Horizon Award at Nashville's 1999 Golden Music Awards. Not half bad, for a country boy.

Chris, who performs and records with the aptly named Chris Blair Band, began his music career in our northern neighbor, St. Louis. He's been singing and performing since the tender age of six when he joined his elementary school choir. He later joined the Mid-America Children's Choir, and with them he toured the Midwest and even performed for then president Ronald Reagan in Washington D.C.

He moved to Cape Girardeau in the mid '90s to attend Southeast, and by then he had added the guitar to his list of talents. He rushed Lambda Chi, making partying his secondary hobby, right behind music. "I went where the action was," says Chris. "Downtown, Main Street, the pump house on the river, the Crackle... you name it, I have probably closed the place down." But he did find the time to audition for the Missouri Ambassadors of Music, and in 1994 he toured Europe as one of only two soloists in the group.

Chris graduated in 1997 with a Bachelor of Arts in mass communication, emphasis in advertising. Lately he's been teaming up with Cape's Keith Evans, a manager/ songwriter who also attends Southeast. Keith has penned several songs for Chris, one of which, "State to State," became a single for Chris last spring. The pair met when Keith sent a song for Chris to try. A few hours after hearing it, Chris found it stuck in his head. "That's what a good song is," he says, "something that sticks with you."

Another thing that really stuck with Chris, on a much deeper level, was the tragedy of September 11. The horrific events of that day inspired his second album "A Tribute to the Heroes of September 11, 2001," which he released the following Independence Day, July 4, 2002. Only 226 copies were produced (to honor America's 226 years of freedom), and each one was hand numbered and signed by Chris and his band. A portion of the proceeds went to benefit victims of the attacks.

In September Chris made the move to Nashville, quitting his job and selling his St. Louis home to devote his full attention to making a name for himself in the world of country music. With his three number one singles; "Who Do You Think You Are," "Why Ask Why" and "Just Like You," he's clearly on his way. He has already started meeting with record executives and is beginning an 8-city tour this month. Fans can keep up with him via his Website at www.chrisblair.com.

With any luck, one day we'll see Cape on his schedule, but on a much grander scale. "I look forward to the day that I can come back to my alma mater and perform at the Show Me Center."

Concert Schedule

01/18/2004 - Cleveland, OH - The World Arena

01/31/2004 - Carterville, IL - Fred's Barn

02/08/2004 - Nashville, TN - Johnny's

02/22/2004 - Puducah, KY - Rockin' Horse

03/01/2004 - Memphis, TN - Bourbon Country

06/19/2004 - St. Louis, MO - Private Wedding

07/17/2004 - New Athens, IL - New Athens Homecoming