Chris De Burgh

Christopher John Davison, known professionally as Chris De Burgh, was born on October 15, 1948, in Venado Tuerto, Argentina. His early life involved moving between Malta, Nigeria, and the Belgian Congo, due to his father’s diplomatic and engineering work. The family eventually settled at Bargy Castle in County Wexford, Ireland, a twelfth-century castle converted into a hotel by his maternal grandfather, Eric de Burgh. It was here that young Chris began performing for guests, showcasing an early interest in music. He later attended Marlborough College in England and studied English and French at Trinity College Dublin.

De Burgh commenced his musical career in 1974, signing with A&M Records. His debut album, “Far Beyond These Castle Walls,” released in late 1974, featured a folk-fantasy style but did not chart in the UK or US. However, a single from the album, “Turning Round” (released as “Flying” outside the UK and Ireland), topped the Brazilian charts for 17 weeks. This established a pattern, where his early albums, including “Spanish Train and Other Stories” (1975) and “Crusader” (1979), garnered significant sales in continental European and South American countries, while initial UK and US chart success remained elusive. He consistently built a fan base in Canada during this period.

His international breakthrough began in 1981 with “Best Moves,” a compilation that marked his first UK chart entry. This paved the way for the 1982 album “The Getaway,” produced by Rupert Hine, which reached number 30 in the UK and number 43 in the US, driven by the single “Don’t Pay the Ferryman.” Subsequent albums like “Man on the Line” (1984) further solidified his global appeal, topping charts in Germany and Switzerland. His 1986 ballad, “The Lady in Red,” became a worldwide hit, reaching number one in the UK and number three in the US, with its accompanying album “Into the Light” becoming the seventeenth best-selling album in the UK that year. De Burgh has sold over 45 million albums globally throughout his career, which spans six decades.