Marshall Crenshaw

Marshall Howard Crenshaw (born November 11, 1953) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and guitarist best known for hit songs such as "Someday, Someway", a US top 40 hit in 1982, "Cynical Girl", and "Whenever You're on My Mind". He is also the co-author of one of the biggest radio hits of the 1990s, Gin Blossoms's "Til I Hear It from You". His music has roots in classic soul music and Buddy Holly, to whom Crenshaw was often compared in the early days of his career, and whom he portrayed in the 1987 film La Bamba.

Born in Detroit, Crenshaw performed in the musical Beatlemania before releasing his self-titled album in 1982. Crenshaw could not replicate the commercial success of Marshall Crenshaw and follow-up Field Day (1983) with later albums. Crenshaw has also contributed songs to other artists, writing singles for Kirsty MacColl and Gin Blossoms. 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."

Crenshaw grew up in the northern Detroit suburb of Berkley. His brother, Robert, joined his touring band during the 1980s. He graduated from Berkley High School in Berkley in June 1971.

He began playing guitar at age 10. During and after high school he led the band ASTIGFA (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, and in a national touring company. He left the show in February 1980.

After launching a trio in New York with brother Robert on drums and Chris Donato on bass, Crenshaw recorded his debut single, "Something's Gonna Happen," for Alan Betrock's Shake Records in 1981. He then signed to Warner Bros. Records, crediting its welcoming environment as instrumental in his decision.

Biography summary from English Wikipedia, photograph via Wikimedia Commons.