User:Chris Lloyds

On 12/12/12 Chris Lloyds signed a licensing deal with Sydney based Ambition Entertainment to release “The Matt Monro Story” an album of songs recorded by Chris of the "singer’s singer", Matt Monro. It’s due for release in early 2013.

In 2011 Chris released the CD “So Good So Far” with American, Sydney based guitarist Art Phillips. This was a live in the studio, one take production like Perry Como and Tony Mottola had done in the 1960s. This CD is available through iTunes.

Chris was born in Melbourne and started singing at the age of 7. He became head chorister at Christ Church in South Yarra and was amazed when he received money to sing at weddings... This is what started his career path. The family moved to Fiji in the late 60s and Chris learnt a lot about singing harmonies through the experience of singing in a multi cultural choir and learning the local songs. While the family remained in Fiji, Chris was sent to The Southport School on Queensland's Gold Coast and eventually teamed up with Greg Shaw who formed the school pop band "Mintwood Green". During this time he would also sing the jazz standards with his grandmother 'Kew" who would play the piano. His professional singing career began in the late 1970s as lead singer of the Gold Coast based touring band Skintite. In the 80s Chris fronted the jazz/rock outfit Big Red who were signed to Mercury/Polygram and released the top 10 hit (in Brisbane) ‘The Traveller’. Big Red appeared on Countdown, Sounds, Simon Townsend’s Wonder World and numerous other TV music shows. The late 80s saw Chris move to Los Angeles where he remained for 2 years writing songs and recorded at Pasha Studios, Studio West, Salty Dog Studios and Herbie Hancock’s private studio in Hollywood.

On returning to Sydney, Chris became one of the country’s busiest session singers and was one of the most heard voices on Australian radio and TV and sang on many international commercials. Chris also sang the theme songs ‘Carry On’ and ‘Runaway’ for the TV series “The Henderson Kids” starring Kylie Minogue and 'Sunloverland' for Queensland Tourism. In the early 90s Chris signed to the Robie Porter label Mega Records through Sony Music and released the stirring duet ‘Sometimes When We Touch’ with Laurin James and later the single ‘It’s Driving Me Crazy’.

In 1995 Chris went on to achieve success in Asia with his first solo album of original material titled ‘Caught in the Magic’ released through Pony Canyon/Devine Music. Whilst performing at the Barn Thai Jazzaraunt in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia over a 2 week period, the first single off the album ‘Forever’ shot to number 5.

Chris became a regular face on Ernie and Denise’s “In Melbourne/Sydney/Brisbane Today” and also appeared on The Midday Show with Ray Martin, Good Morning Australia with Bert Newton and The Don Lane Show and at the same time continued a busy recording and performance schedule.

He was asked to audition for ‘Neighbours’ and was ecstatic when he got the call to play Rod Baker, Natalie Imbruglia's fiancé, for three months. He’s also appeared in “The Straits”, “GP” and “E-Street”. His movie credits include the musical, “South Pacific” and detective thriller "The Cult of Death" in the “The Shanahan Mysteries”.

Other highlights in Chris’s career have been singing on the same bill as Blondie, Joe Cocker, José Feliciano, Meatloaf and LRB; touring nationally with ‘Long Way To The Top’, Dr Hook and Birtles, Shorrock, Goble, and performing a simulcast jazz version of “I still call Australia Home” on Australia Day at Sydney’s Darling Harbour for HRH Prince Charles and thousands of revelers.

Chris comes from a musical family with a long list of accomplishments. His Welsh grandmother was a renowned pianist and singer who, during the 1930s and 40s, had her own radio show in India. His great grandfather, George Walter Lloyds, was a pianist and conductor and an associate of the Royal College of Music. He composed under the name of Paul de Loetz and performed for Queen Victoria in the Royal Albert Hall and on the Royal Yacht on numerous occasions. His great aunt played the violin in Sir Malcolm Sargents Orchestra.