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.

Crenshaw's eponymous first album reached number 50 on the American album charts in 1982 and included his signature US hit, "Someday, Someway". Neo-rockabilly musician Robert Gordon had recorded the song in 1981, reaching number 76; Crenshaw's own version made number 36 the next year, becoming his only solo Billboard top 40 hit; the single would also reach number 31 on the Cashbox charts and number 25 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart. Other songs from the album, including "There She Goes Again," "Cynical Girl," and "Mary Anne," have since become fan favorites. Crenshaw himself later expressed a dislike for the album's production, though the album saw critical acclaim and was ranked by Rolling Stone as one of the top 100 albums of the 1980s.

His second album, Field Day, was released in June 1983 with a bigger production courtesy of producer Steve Lillywhite which divided opinion at the time. Despite positive critical reception, the album was a commercial disappointment, charting lower than his debut at number 52. Despite Crenshaw's enthusiasm for the song, lead single "Whenever You're on My Mind" failed to reach the Hot 100, peaking third on the Bubbling Under charts. Crenshaw later defended the album's production, criticizing the UK-released U.S. Remix EP of watered-down alternate mixes of the album tracks "Our Town", "For Her Love" (in standard and extended versions) and "Monday Morning Rock."

Due to the commercial decline of Field Day, Crenshaw's relationship with Warner Bros. began to deteriorate and he sought to change his sound on his third album. 1985's Downtown featured a rootsier sound and was stewarded by producer T Bone Burnett (except for "Blues Is King", produced by Mitch Easter). The album reached number 110 on the Billboard chart.