Chris Isaak needs no introduction, but here's one anyway.
He's a multi-award winning, platinum-selling singer, songwriter, guitarist, actor and all-round Mr Nice Guy with a heart of gold and matching vocal chords.
The Californian crooner has made no secret of his love for Australia and will thrill fans across the country in April as he embarks on a national tour. Until then, sit back and relax with five Chris Isaak career highlights. Enjoy.
1. Wicked Game
Easily Chris Isaak's biggest and most well-known song, 'Wicked Game' was released in 1989 on 'Heart Shaped World', his third studio album. Almost immediately, the world collectively lost their shit and fell head-over-heels in love with Isaak's smooth vocals and incomparable songwriting.Acclaimed director, David Lynch featured an instrumental version of the song in his 1990 film, 'Wild At Heart'; since then 'Wicked Game' has become a much-loved standard, having been covered by artists such as H.I.M. and Pink, as well as the lesser-known Rebecca Ferguson on the seventh season of the 'The X-Factor'.
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2. That Thing You Do
Written and directed by Hollywood big-hitter Tom Hanks, 'That Thing You Do' follows the rise and fall of fictional pop band The Wonders. Chris plays a minor role as the recording engineer uncle of main character Guy Patterson (Tom Everett Scott), who helps the group record their first and only hit, the titular 'That Thing You Do'. The song was composed by singer-songwriter Mike Viola and Fountains Of Wayne bassist Adam Schlesinger, and became an actual hit in 1996.{youtube}Vs_h7YdIe_k{/youtube}
3. The Chris Isaak Show
From the stage and silver screen to the small screen, between 2001 and 2004 Chris Isaak was piped into our living rooms courtesy of this tongue-in-cheek sitcom. Chris and members of his real-life band, Silvertone, play fictionalised versions of themselves portrayed as ordinary people with ordinary problems. The show also featured a slew of cameos from Chris' not-so-ordinary musical mates, including the glamorous Stevie Nicks and KISS Starchild, Paul Stanley.{youtube}2n666R9utw4{/youtube}
4. X-Factor Australia Judge
Whether or not this counts as a 'highlight' of one's career may prove to be debatable. Nevertheless, Australians can enjoy a regular dose of Chris Isaak as he sits in judgement of a stable of hopeful wannabes and the odd helpless never-gonna-be. “I love Australia, and if you're going to look for stars, I can't think of a more beautiful place on Earth to start looking,” Chris states on his website.{youtube}OGlPHwNIVMs{/youtube}
5. First Comes The Night 2015 Album
In November 2015, Chris released his twelfth studio album, 'First Comes The Night', which features his first, new material in six years. At the behest of Fleetwood Mac’s Stevie Nicks, Chris recorded much of the album in Nashville, Tennessee where he worked with famed producer Paul Worley (Dixie Chicks, Lady Antebellum).The result is a powerful and brilliantly conceived addition to Chris Isaak’s illustrious discography that spans four decades and will endure for years to come.
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Chris Isaak Tour Dates
Sat 27 Feb - Leeuwin Estate (Margaret River)Wed 6 Apr - Star Events Centre (Sydney)
Thu 7 Apr - Star Events Centre (Sydney)
Sat 9 Apr - A Day On The Green (Hunter Valley)
Sun 10 Apr - A Day On The Green (Brisbane)
Wed 13 Apr - Margaret Court Arena (Melbourne)
Sat Apr 16 - A Day On The Green (Clare Valley)
