Chris de Burgh facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Chris de Burgh
de Burgh performing at Frankenhalle in Nuremberg, Germany in 2016
Born	Christopher John Davison (1948-10-15) 15 October 1948 (age 76) Venado Tuerto, Santa Fe Province, Argentina
Citizenship	Ireland United Kingdom
Occupation	Musician singer-songwriter
Years active	1974–present
Spouse(s)	Diane Davison ​ (m. 1977)​
Children	3, including Rosanna Davison
Musical career
Origin	County Wexford, Ireland
Genres	Art rock pop soft rock
Instruments	Vocals guitar piano
Labels	A&M Ferryman Productions Edel

Christopher John Davison (born 15 October 1948), known as Chris de Burgh, is a British-Irish singer and songwriter. He started his music career playing art rock but later began writing more pop songs. He has had several hit songs in the UK and US, but he is even more popular in countries like Norway and Brazil. His famous 1986 love song "The Lady in Red" became number one in many countries around the world. Chris de Burgh has sold over 45 million albums globally.

Early Life and Family

Chris de Burgh was born in Venado Tuerto, Argentina. His father, Charles John Davison, was a British diplomat, and his mother was Maeve Emily (née de Burgh). Chris chose to use his mother's maiden name, "de Burgh," as his stage name when he started performing. His legal last name is still Davison.

Because his father worked in diplomacy and engineering, Chris spent his early years living in different countries like Malta, Nigeria, and the Belgian Congo.

Eventually, his family settled in Bargy Castle in County Wexford, Ireland. This old castle, built in the 1100s, was bought by his grandfather in the 1960s. They turned it into a hotel, and young Chris would sing for the guests there.

Chris went to Marlborough College in England. He later studied at Trinity College Dublin, where he earned a Master of Arts degree in French, English, and History.

Musical Journey

Starting Out in Music

Chris de Burgh signed his first music contract with A&M Records in 1974. He then toured with the band Supertramp, which helped him gain some fans. His first album, Far Beyond These Castle Walls, came out in late 1974. It didn't become popular in the UK or US at first.

A few months later, he released a song called "Turning Round." This song didn't do well in the UK, but it became a huge hit in Brazil, staying at the top of their music charts for 17 weeks! This became a common pattern for Chris de Burgh: his albums in the 1970s sold very well in Europe and South America, even if they weren't big hits in the UK or US.

In 1975, his second album, Spanish Train and Other Stories, was released. While it wasn't a huge commercial success, it helped him gain more fans and a dedicated following.

His next albums, At the End of a Perfect Day (1977) and Crusader (1979), also helped him grow his fan base. Crusader had a more electric sound. Even with new fans, these albums still didn't become major hits in the UK or US. His 1980 album, Eastern Wind, also continued this trend.

Worldwide Success

In 1981, Chris de Burgh finally had his first song on the UK charts with Best Moves, which was a collection of songs from his earlier albums. This prepared the way for his 1982 album, The Getaway. This album reached number 30 in the UK charts and number 43 in the US, thanks to the song "Don't Pay the Ferryman".

In 1984, his next album, Man on the Line, also did very well. It reached number 11 in the UK and was number one in Germany and Switzerland. Its first song, "High on Emotion," became popular internationally.

Chris de Burgh had a massive hit song with the love song "The Lady in Red" in late 1986. This song became number one in the UK and was a worldwide success. The album that came with it, Into the Light, reached number two in the UK. Later that year, his 1976 Christmas song "A Spaceman Came Travelling" also became a hit in the UK.

Flying Colours, released in 1988, went straight to number one on the British charts. However, it didn't make it onto the American charts. After this, Chris de Burgh didn't have another big hit in the US, and his popularity in Britain started to slow down in the early 1990s. But he still had many fans around the world.

In 1997, de Burgh wrote a song called "There's a New Star Up in Heaven Tonight," dedicated to Diana, Princess of Wales.

Recent Music (2007–Present)

In 2007, a concert was planned for Chris de Burgh in Tehran, Iran, with a local band called Arian. This would have been the first time a Western pop singer performed in Iran since 1979. However, the concert did not happen because the Iranian authorities did not give permission.

In 2008, de Burgh released Footsteps, his seventeenth album. It included cover versions of thirteen songs that had inspired him throughout his life, by artists like Bob Dylan and the Beatles. This album reached the Top 5 in the UK. In 2011, he released Footsteps 2, which also entered the UK Top 40.

Chris de Burgh was the first Western music act to perform in Lebanon after the Lebanese Civil War.

On his 73rd birthday in October 2021, Chris de Burgh released a music video for his song "Legacy." This animated video was for his 27th studio album, The Legend of Robin Hood.

In October 2024, Chris de Burgh released a new album called 50. This album celebrates his 50 years in the music business.

Personal Life

Chris de Burgh has been married to his wife Diane since 1977. They have two sons, Hubie and Michael, and a daughter named Rosanna Davison. Rosanna is famous for winning the Miss World competition for Ireland in 2003.

In 2011, bottles from de Burgh's collection of old wines sold for over $500,000.

Chris de Burgh is very interested in war history, especially the First and Second World Wars. Many of his songs mention soldiers and battles. In 2006, he bought a rare letter written by an unknown soldier from the First World War.

Chris de Burgh has said that he believes in Christ, but he doesn't fully trust organized religion. He also believes in spiritual healing, which he says can help reduce pain. He claims he has been able to help people with his own hands through prayer.

Public View

Chris de Burgh has received different opinions from the media over the years. Some critics, like Mike DeGagne from AllMusic, have called him "a genuine master of the soft ballad" and "one of the finest mood-invoking artists ever."

However, others have had different views. Greg Prato, also from AllMusic, said that Chris de Burgh either creates "pretentious, bombastic art rock" or "soaring and majestic compositions," depending on who you ask. The BBC said that to his fans, he is "the ultimate romantic singer," but to others, he is "a figure of fun." His most famous song, "The Lady in Red," has sometimes been voted as one of the public's least favorite songs.

Awards and Nominations

Discography

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)

Filmography

• The Grand Knockout Tournament (1987) (as Himself)
• How to Cheat in the Leaving Certificate (1998) (as Petrol Pumper)
• The Bachelor S26 E07 (2022) (as Himself)

See also

In Spanish: Chris de Burgh para niños