Born in Biloxi, MS on Oct 2, 1948, the son of an Air Force pilot, Chris travelled all over the country and overseas. He developed an early passion for the west, horses and rodeo. He found early success as a bareback rider and discovered songwriting which allowed him the ability to tell stories about the rodeo lifestyle he loved. He recorded his first album of rodeo songs in 1971 and created an independent record label, American Cowboy Songs. At the 1976 National Finals Rodeo, Chris won the World Bareback Title and took home the coveted gold buckle. He recorded his 22nd independent album in 1989 and shortly after signed a major record deal with Capitol and exploded into the national spotlight. He released another 18 albums in his time at Capitol Records and sold over 6 million around the world. Beyond all of his accomplishments and success, his most endearing quote will always be “What I want to be known for, on top of everything else, is that I was a good husband and a family man.”