Marshall Crenshaw
| Marshall Crenshaw | |
|---|---|
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Marshall Howard Crenshaw |
| Born |
November 11, 1953 Detroit, Michigan, U.S. |
| Genres | Rock |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, singer, songwriter |
| Instruments | Vocals, guitar, bass, keyboards, drums, percussion |
| Years active | 1981–present |
| Labels | Warner Bros., Razor and Tie, Red River |
| Website | marshallcrenshaw |
Marshall Howard Crenshaw (born November 11, 1953) is an American musician, singer and songwriter best known for his song "Someday, Someway", a Top 40 hit in 1982.
His music has roots in classic soul music, British Invasion songcraft, Burt Bacharach and Buddy Holly—the latter to whom Crenshaw was often compared in the early days of his career, and who he portrayed in the 1987 film La Bamba. Crenshaw is also a noted guitarist who uses offbeat chord progressions (almost verging towards jazz) and concise solos. A quote from Trouser Press summed up Marshall Crenshaw’s early career: “Although he was seen as a latter-day Buddy Holly at the outset, he soon proved too talented and original to be anyone but himself.” AllMusic Guide described Crenshaw’s style: “He writes songs that are melodic, hooky and emotionally true, and he sings and plays them with an honesty and force that still finds room for humor without venom.”
Born in Detroit, Michigan, he grew up in the suburb of Berkley. He graduated from Berkley High School in June 1971.
He began playing guitar at age ten. During and after High School he led the band Astigafa (an acronym for "a splendid time is guaranteed for all", a lyric from The Beatles' "Being For The Benefit of Mr. Kite"). He got his first break in 1978, playing John Lennon in the musical Beatlemania, first as an understudy in New York, then in the West Coast company, then in a national touring company. He left the show in February, 1980.
After launching a trio in New York (with his brother Robert on drums, and Chris Donato on bass), he recorded "Something's Gonna Happen", for Alan Betrock's Shake Records, after which he was signed to Warner Bros. Records. Robert Gordon took Crenshaw's "Someday, Someway" to #76 in 1981, and Crenshaw's own version made #36 the next year; it would be his only solo Billboard Top 40 'Pop' hit. On the Cash Box magazine chart the song fared slightly better, reaching #31. Its biggest reception was at AOR (Album Oriented Rock) radio, reaching #25 on Billboard's Rock Tracks chart. The song, "Til I Hear It from You", sung by the Gin Blossoms and co-written by Crenshaw, reached #11 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1996.
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