Chrissy Steele
| Chrissy Steele | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Christina Southern |
| Genres | rock |
| Occupation(s) | Singer |
| Instruments | Vocals |
| Years active | 1990s |
| Labels | Chrysalis Records |
| Associated acts | Headpins |
Chrissy Steele was the stage name of Christina Southern, a Canadian rock singer active in the 1980s and 1990s. She is most noted for garnering a Juno Award nomination for Most Promising Female Vocalist at the Juno Awards of 1992.
Steele's early years were spent singing in more of the classical and folk vein. She participated in several choirs and operas in her hometown of Comox and later in Victoria (both on Vancouver Island). At the age of 19, she moved to Vancouver to become a professional singer, but found she was too inexperienced to front a band. She returned to Victoria and after she answered an ad in the paper looking for a female rock singer she joined her first band Room Service. After cutting her teeth in the Victoria rock bars she accepted a gig playing with the hard rock band Reform School. The band gave her a good foundation to hone her skills as a front person playing clubs in B.C and Alberta with several bands including Blu, and the first incarnation of the Chrissy Steele Band with several members including Burk Ehmig, Rick Smook, and Brian McConkey . In 1989 Brian MacLeod, after hearing about her talents through the grapevine, invited her to join his band Headpins, which had been looking for a new singer since Darby Mills left the band in 1986. However, with the rest of the original Headpins having moved on to other projects, MacLeod was unable to convince them to reunite, and instead decided to record a new album with Steele. (As a side note: The Headpins name would not prove to be successful as the label Chrysalis Records they eventually signed with were not interested in the Headpins brand). The majority of songs were written by Brian MacLeod and Tim Feehan. MacLeod and Steele with the help of their manager Sam Feldman, and also Bruce Allen would be shopped to labels finally hooking Chrysalis Records/EMI. With an introduction to New York Chrysalis executives John Sykes (President) and Joe Keiner (CEO), and flying out to see the band live, Macleod and Steele were signed to a multi-million multi-album record deal. Sadly, during production of the album and a warm-up tour, MacLeod became ill, and after the release of the album he succumbed to cancer on April 25, 1992. During his illness, and incapacitated, it was thought best by the label for Steele to continue on as a solo artist after signing with American label Chrysalis Records/EMI.
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