b. 11 November 1953, Detroit, Michigan, USA. After portraying John Lennon in the stage show Beatlemania, Crenshaw forged a solo career as a solid and dependable performer of the classic urban American pop song. His rock ‘n’ roll songs are sprinkled with lyrics discoursing on the perennial problems of the lovelorn and the trials of being in love.
With an echo-laden guitar sound that harked back to the 60s (with a little Buddy Holly and Eddie Cochran thrown in for effect), Crenshaw’s future looked bright with the release of his first album for Warner Brothers Records in 1982. Performing alongside his brother Robert (drums/vocals) and Chris Donato (bass/vocals), this debut album contained Crenshaw’s only US hit single to date, ‘Someday, Someway’. This modern pop album also contained such classics as ‘Cynical Girl’ and ‘Mary Ann’, but only reached number 50 on the US chart. His follow-up was dealt a similar fate. Although the album was packed with what seemed to be ‘radio-friendly’ hits, songs such as ‘Whenever You’re On My Mind’, ‘What Time Is It?’ and ‘For Her Love’ found only cult-status appreciation. The lean period of commercial success was relieved by the success of Owen Paul’s cover of his ‘My Favourite Waste Of Time’, which reached the UK Top 3 in 1986.
In the late 80s, Crenshaw made film appearances in Peggy Sue Got Married and portrayed Buddy Holly in La Bamba. Further acclaimed album releases found the guitarist covering other artists’ songs, including sterling performances of Richard Thompson’s ‘Valerie’ and John Haitt’s ‘Someplace Where Love Can’t Find Me’ on Good Evening. A split with Warners in 1990 resulted in Crenshaw signing to MCA Records and marked the release of Life’s Too Short. In the mid-90s, Crenshaw guested on various tribute albums for Nilsson, Arthur Alexander and Merle Haggard, in addition to finding a new audience with his contribution to the Gin Blossoms’ hit ‘Til I Hear It From You’.
In the mid- to late 90s, Crenshaw released a succession of fine albums for the independent Razor & Tie imprint, the most notable of which was 1999’s #447. He broke a four-year recording silence in 2003 with What’s In The Bag?, a particularly strong album on which he continued to satisfy with melodic songs and mouth-watering guitar hooks. Unfortunately, Crenshaw’s enduring cult status is unlikely to break new ground for this criminally underrated talent.
