Ask American Profile

Sawyer Brown, Christopher Cross, Timothy Dalton

I want to learn more about the country band Sawyer Brown. Lead singer Mark Miller is a great dancer and performer. How long has the band been together, and who writes their material?
—Sharon W., Ohio

The five-man country group recently signed a new record deal, this time with Walt Disney company’s Lyric Street Records. Lead singer and Florida native Mark Miller was especially happy about the deal, since he worked for five years at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Fla. The band’s first album for Lyric Street, their 19th career release, will be out later this year. Miller and Gregg “Hobie” Hubbard, the band’s keyboardist, write quite a bit of the material. But the band has also recorded songs by writers such as Dave Loggins, Bill LaBounty, and Mac McAnally, to name a few. Little more than two decades ago—April 1, 1982, to be exact—Sawyer Brown was founded. The band includes Miller, Hubbard, Duncan Cameron on lead guitar, Jim Scholeten on bass, and Joe Smyth on drums. It zoomed to fame after winning the grand prize on television’s Star Search in 1984.

I’m a Christopher Cross fan, and was wondering what’s been happening with him. I heard he was ill, but I’m not sure with what. Can you enlighten me?
—Chris Q., Virginia

The singing/songwriting phenomemon from the 1980s is in perfect health and continues to perform in concert. Rumors about his health pop up regularly, possibly because he was everywhere for a period in the 1980s and then just seemed to disappear. With songs like Sailing, Ride Like The Wind, and the Arthur’s Theme (Best That You Can Do), Cross made a huge impression. He won five Grammys and one Oscar during that period. He worked hard, toured the world, rode the wave of immense popularity all those hits brought him, and then he took a break. While he rested, MTV emerged as a major force in music, and the type of music he created went out of fashion, as did his unglamorous regular-guy look. He didn’t make it back onto radio and never became a video star, but he continued to write music and put out albums. Last year, Rhino Records released a greatest hits album, The Very Best of Christopher Cross. Now 51, Cross is married with two children, aged 13 and 9, and enjoys spending time with his family when he is not touring.

Who played Heathcliff in the movie Wuthering Heights back in the 1970s? Was it Timothy Dalton?
—Sue D., Illinois

Yes, it was. The actor, who would later play dashing secret agent James Bond, was just 25 years old when he made Wuthering Heights. Taking on a role made famous by the great Sir Laurence Olivier in 1939, Dalton impressed critics and moviegoers, even though the film left many of them cold. Dalton later complained about the film, saying, “We based the relationships on a physical toughness which is there in the language and landscape of the book (by Emily Bronte). It’s a savage, analytical book. Now, just at this time Love Story came out. The producers decided that this is where the money was—and they cut 30 minutes, key scenes of the film. All the ‘nicer’ scenes were left in. We filmed an ending of total despair—Heathcliff collapsing on the moors haunted by Catherine’s ghost. Three months later, the producers went off and filmed two extras running down a hill hand in hand as ghosts living happily ever after. But those producers could never understand that the greatest romance is the hardest romance, the one that goes through the trials and bad times, and ends up as some kind of torture. That’s what the great poets have always talked about.” Other actors who have taken on the romantic role of Heathcliff include Charlton Heston, in a 1950 live television production, and Ralph Fiennes in a 1992 television movie.

Upload Your Own Stories, Photos and Videos

Every week, American Profile magazine brings you stories that celebrate the people and places that make America great. Now we want to hear your stories and see your photos, videos and even audio.

 Start Uploading Now!

 

Discuss this Article