Riding the crest

Artiste navigates the ups and downs of a career in music

Hasani Walters • Sunday Gleaner Writer

Don Christopher, formally Chris Brown and former back-up vocalist for popular group Stanley and the Turbines, has seen his fair share of ups and downs.

His first recording in 1989, Conclusion, was done at the Channel One studio which was then located at Maxfield Avenue, west Kingston.

He hit number one on local charts in 1993 through Fire, Fire, done at the Tuff Gong studios, and he again went number one in 2005, but this time it was on Miami and South Florida reggae charts with Do Right, a song which he said was about his best friend who had drowned in Jamaica.

When international RnB star Chris Brown had a public spat with his girlfriend at the time, Rihanna, involving allegations of physical abuse, DonChristopher needed a new image.

His name was also Chris Brown and comparisons were dangerous.

"I went to perform at a couple venues and people were wondering if it is the young Chris Brown who was performing. It was beginning to pose a problem so management decided that we should change," he said.

Since then, he has been going by DonChristopher, a combination of his given names, Christopher Don Brown.

Having to change his name could be seen as one of the 'downs' of his career. Having put that behind him, DonChristopher is hoping for more highs.

That hope has come in the form of a 15-track album, his second, titled Fallen, which will include songs such as the title track Fallen, Face To Face, She Want The Water, Angel, Fool's Gold, On The Street Again and Beautiful.

Fallen went to number three on charts throughout the United States and in Canada, and the video for the song has also been in rotation.

Different vibe

According to the artiste, the new project will be different from Do it Right in a number of ways.

"On this album, we tried to create a different vibe from the last. It's more of an easy-going-sounding album for the more laid back and sophisticated person," DonChristopher explained.

"This album is for the lovers. The genre or sound is somewhere between reggae and pop," he added.

DonChristopher was signed to Gosh Productions two years ago and is aiming to put the finishing touches on his album and to embark on a few promotional tours this summer.

He draws his musical inspiration from reggae greats such as Jimmy Cliff and Bob Marley and has managed to form his own Florida-based label, Tornado International.

"I had the opportunity to sit and talk with Bob Marley before he died. I've met Jimmy Cliff before as well. Those were great experiences," he said.

'On this album, we tried to create a different vibe from the last. It's more of an easy-going-sounding album for the more laid back and sophisticated person.'