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{{Short description|American music journalist (1957–2024)}}
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{{other|Charles Cross}}
{{about||the American physicist|Charles R. Cross (physicist)}}{{Infobox writer
{{inline|date=April 2009}}
[[File:Charles R. Cross 01.jpg|thumb|Charles R. Cross (2009).]]
| name = Charles R. Cross
| image = Charles R. Cross 01.jpg
'''Charles R. Cross''' is a [[music journalist|rock music journalist]] and [[author]] based in [[Seattle]]. He is the founder of ''[[Backstreets Magazine]]'', a periodical for fans of [[Bruce Springsteen]], editor of ''Springsteen: the Man and His Music,'' a compilation of ''Backstreets'' articles, and is also author of a [[biography]] of [[Kurt Cobain]], titled ''[[Heavier Than Heaven]]'' as well as another book focused more on his creative and artistic life called ''Cobain Unseen''. His most recent release <!-- as of? --> is entitled ''[[Room Full Of Mirrors - A Biography Of Jimi Hendrix]]''.
| birth_date = May 7, 1957
| death_date = {{death date and age|2024|8|9|1957|5|7}}
| occupation = {{hlist|Author|journalist|biographer|music critic}}
| notable_works = {{hlist|''Heavier than Heaven: A Biography of Kurt Cobain''|''Room Full of Mirrors: A Biography of Jimi Hendrix''}}
| education = Washington State University<br>Parsons School of Design
| birth_place = [[Richmond, Virginia]], U.S.
| period = 1987-2024
| death_place = [[Shoreline, Washington]], U.S.
}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2013}}


'''Charles Richard Cross''' (May 7, 1957 – August 9, 2024) was an American music journalist, author and editor who was based in [[Seattle]]. <ref name="NYT">{{Cite news |last=Williams |first=Alex |date=2024-08-20 |title=Charles R. Cross, Biographer of Cobain and Hendrix, Dies at 67 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/08/20/arts/music/charles-cross-dead.html |access-date=2024-08-23 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> He documented the Seattle music scene as the editor of ''[[The Rocket (music magazine)|The Rocket]]'' in Seattle from 1986&ndash;2000. <ref>{{Cite web |last=Seling |first=Megan |title=Charles R. Cross, Long-Time Editor of Seattle's 'The Rocket,' Has Died |url=https://www.thestranger.com/music/2024/08/11/79644854/charles-r-cross-long-time-editor-of-seattles-the-rocket-has-died/comments |access-date=2024-08-29 |website=The Stranger |language=en}}</ref>
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In 2004, while conducting research for the Hendrix book, Cross rediscovered the gravesite of [[Jimi Hendrix]]'s mother, Lucille Jeter Hendrix, in an abandoned section of [[Greenwood Memorial Park]], where Jimi Hendrix himself is buried in an elaborate granite memorial. The gravesite of Lucille Hendrix was lost because the standard welfare marker of her day, an inscribed brick, became buried in decades of mud from the area's notorious heavy rains. Cross delivered a moving eulogy for Lucille when a proper headstone was dedicated at the site.


Cross wrote three ''New York Times'' bestselllers, including the award-winning 2001 biography of [[Kurt Cobain]], ''[[Heavier Than Heaven]],'' and ''Room Full of Mirrors: A Biography of Jimi Hendrix,'' which [[Vibe (magazine)|''Vibe'']] described as "one of the greatest-ever books on music". <ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Brandle |first=Lars |date=2024-08-12 |title=Charles Cross, Seattle Author Who Wrote Books on Nirvana and Jimi Hendrix, Dies at 67 |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/charles-cross-author-books-nirvana-jimi-hendrix-dead-67-1235750053/ |access-date=2024-08-29 |magazine=Billboard |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Martoccio |first=Althea Legaspi|date=2024-08-12 |title=Charles R. Cross, Author of Acclaimed Kurt Cobain and Jimi Hendrix Biographies, Dead at 67 |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/charles-r-cross-author-dead-obituary-1235078023/ |access-date=2024-08-12 |magazine=Rolling Stone |language=en-US}}</ref> In addition to writing the 1989 [[Bruce Springsteen]] biography, ''Backstreets: Springsteen, the Man and His Music,'' he founded ''[[Backstreets Magazine]]'', a periodical for Sprinsteen fans. <ref>{{Cite web |last=Sabla |first=Elvin |date=2024-08-17 |title=Bruce Springsteen on the Death of Charles Cross |url=https://brucespringsteen.net/news/2024/bruce-springsteen-on-the-death-of-charles-cross/ |access-date=2024-08-29 |website=Bruce Springsteen |language=en-US}}</ref>
[[Courtney Love]], the widow of Kurt Cobain, has acquired the rights to ''Heavier Than Heaven'', which is now being made into a film by Universal Pictures. This is the first film to be made from Cross' work.

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In 2004, while conducting research for the Hendrix biography, Cross discovered the gravesite of [[Jimi Hendrix]]'s mother, Lucille Jeter Hendrix, in an abandoned section of [[Greenwood Memorial Park (Renton, Washington)|Greenwood Memorial Park]], where Jimi Hendrix was buried. Her gravesite was lost because the standard welfare marker of her day, an inscribed brick, was buried in decades of mud. <ref>{{Cite web |last=Stout |first=Gene |date=July 29, 2005 |title=New Hendrix bio is a very intimate one |url=https://www.seattlepi.com/entertainment/music/article/new-hendrix-bio-is-a-very-intimate-one-1179428.php |access-date=August 12, 2024 |website=Seattle Post-Intelligencer}}</ref>

Cross died in Shoreline, Washington on August 9, 2024, at the age of 67.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Willman |first1=Chris |title=Charles R. Cross, Music Journalist Who Wrote Heralded Kurt Cobain Biography and Edited Seattle's Alt-Weekly the Rocket, Dies at 67 |url=https://variety.com/2024/music/obituaries-people-news/charles-r-cross-dead-music-journalist-kurt-cobain-biographer-seattle-rocket-backstreets-1236103569/ |website=Variety |access-date=12 August 2024 |date=12 August 2024}}</ref><ref name="NYT"/>

==Books==
* 1989 ''Backstreets: Springsteen, the Man and His Music'', Harmony Books, New York 1989/1992. {{ISBN|0-517-58929-X}}.
* 1991 ''Led Zeppelin: Heaven and Hell'', Harmony, 1991. {{ISBN|978-0-517-58308-1}}.
* 1998 ''Classic Rock Albums: Nevermind: Nirvana'', Music Sales Group, 1998/2003. {{ISBN|978-0-8256-7286-6}}. Coauthored with [[Jim Berkenstadt]]
* 2001 ''[[Heavier Than Heaven|Heavier Than Heaven: A Biography of Kurt Cobain]]'', Hyperion, 2001. {{ISBN|0-7868-8402-9}}.
* 2005 ''[[Room Full of Mirrors: A Biography of Jimi Hendrix]]'', Sceptre, 2005. {{ISBN|0-340-82683-5}}.
* 2008 ''Cobain Unseen'', Little, Brown and Company, 2008. {{ISBN|978-0-316-03372-5}}
* 2009 ''Led Zeppelin: Shadows Taller Than Our Souls'', It Books. {{ISBN|978-0061809149}}
* 2012 ''Kicking & Dreaming: A Story of Heart, Soul, and Rock & Roll'', HarperCollins, New York, 2012. {{ISBN|978-0-06-210167-9}}. Coauthored with [[Ann Wilson|Ann]] and [[Nancy Wilson (rock musician)|Nancy Wilson]]
* 2014 ''Here We Are Now: The Lasting Impact of Kurt Cobain'' {{ISBN|978-1483002910}}

==References==
<references />


==External links==
==External links==
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* {{discogs artist|Charles R. Cross}}
*[http://www.charlesrcross.com/ Official Website]
* {{imdb name|2815259}}
*[http://backstreets.com/aboutus.html About us page of Backstreets magazine]
*[http://backstreets.com/aboutus.html About us page of Backstreets magazine]
*[http://www.lettersonpages.com/2008/07/heavier-than-heaven-by-charles-r-cross/ Review of Heavier Than Heaven at Letters On Pages]


{{Authority control}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Cross, Charles}}

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[[Category:Living people]]
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Cross, Charles R.}}
[[Category:University of Washington alumni]]
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[[Category:1957 births]]
[[Category:2024 deaths]]
[[Category:American music journalists]]
[[Category:American biographers]]
[[Category:American male biographers]]
[[Category:People from Seattle]]


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{{US-journalist-stub}}


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{{US-journalist-20thC-stub}}
[[no:Charles R. Cross]]

Latest revision as of 05:54, 5 September 2024

For the American physicist, see Charles R. Cross (physicist).
Charles R. Cross
BornMay 7, 1957
Richmond, Virginia, U.S.
DiedAugust 9, 2024(2024-08-09) (aged 67)
Shoreline, Washington, U.S.
Occupation
  • Author
  • journalist
  • biographer
  • music critic
EducationWashington State University
Parsons School of Design
Period1987-2024
Notable works
  • Heavier than Heaven: A Biography of Kurt Cobain
  • Room Full of Mirrors: A Biography of Jimi Hendrix

Charles Richard Cross (May 7, 1957 – August 9, 2024) was an American music journalist, author and editor who was based in Seattle. [1] He documented the Seattle music scene as the editor of The Rocket in Seattle from 1986–2000. [2]

Cross wrote three New York Times bestselllers, including the award-winning 2001 biography of Kurt Cobain, Heavier Than Heaven, and Room Full of Mirrors: A Biography of Jimi Hendrix, which Vibe described as "one of the greatest-ever books on music". [3][4] In addition to writing the 1989 Bruce Springsteen biography, Backstreets: Springsteen, the Man and His Music, he founded Backstreets Magazine, a periodical for Sprinsteen fans. [5]

In 2004, while conducting research for the Hendrix biography, Cross discovered the gravesite of Jimi Hendrix's mother, Lucille Jeter Hendrix, in an abandoned section of Greenwood Memorial Park, where Jimi Hendrix was buried. Her gravesite was lost because the standard welfare marker of her day, an inscribed brick, was buried in decades of mud. [6]

Cross died in Shoreline, Washington on August 9, 2024, at the age of 67.[7][1]

Books

[edit]
  • 1989 Backstreets: Springsteen, the Man and His Music, Harmony Books, New York 1989/1992. ISBN 0-517-58929-X.
  • 1991 Led Zeppelin: Heaven and Hell, Harmony, 1991. ISBN 978-0-517-58308-1.
  • 1998 Classic Rock Albums: Nevermind: Nirvana, Music Sales Group, 1998/2003. ISBN 978-0-8256-7286-6. Coauthored with Jim Berkenstadt
  • 2001 Heavier Than Heaven: A Biography of Kurt Cobain, Hyperion, 2001. ISBN 0-7868-8402-9.
  • 2005 Room Full of Mirrors: A Biography of Jimi Hendrix, Sceptre, 2005. ISBN 0-340-82683-5.
  • 2008 Cobain Unseen, Little, Brown and Company, 2008. ISBN 978-0-316-03372-5
  • 2009 Led Zeppelin: Shadows Taller Than Our Souls, It Books. ISBN 978-0061809149
  • 2012 Kicking & Dreaming: A Story of Heart, Soul, and Rock & Roll, HarperCollins, New York, 2012. ISBN 978-0-06-210167-9. Coauthored with Ann and Nancy Wilson
  • 2014 Here We Are Now: The Lasting Impact of Kurt Cobain ISBN 978-1483002910

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b Williams, Alex (August 20, 2024). "Charles R. Cross, Biographer of Cobain and Hendrix, Dies at 67". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved August 23, 2024.
  2. ^ Seling, Megan. "Charles R. Cross, Long-Time Editor of Seattle's 'The Rocket,' Has Died". The Stranger. Retrieved August 29, 2024.
  3. ^ Brandle, Lars (August 12, 2024). "Charles Cross, Seattle Author Who Wrote Books on Nirvana and Jimi Hendrix, Dies at 67". Billboard. Retrieved August 29, 2024.
  4. ^ Martoccio, Althea Legaspi (August 12, 2024). "Charles R. Cross, Author of Acclaimed Kurt Cobain and Jimi Hendrix Biographies, Dead at 67". Rolling Stone. Retrieved August 12, 2024.
  5. ^ Sabla, Elvin (August 17, 2024). "Bruce Springsteen on the Death of Charles Cross". Bruce Springsteen. Retrieved August 29, 2024.
  6. ^ Stout, Gene (July 29, 2005). "New Hendrix bio is a very intimate one". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Retrieved August 12, 2024.
  7. ^ Willman, Chris (August 12, 2024). "Charles R. Cross, Music Journalist Who Wrote Heralded Kurt Cobain Biography and Edited Seattle's Alt-Weekly the Rocket, Dies at 67". Variety. Retrieved August 12, 2024.
[edit]


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