Christopher Dallman
Encyclopedia
Christopher Joseph Dallman (born September 23, 1978) is an American singer and songwriter based in Los Angeles
, California
. Dallman has released a full album (Race the Light) and four EPs (Sad Britney
, Never Was, Live in L.A, Light The Love).
, the son of Robert Dallman, a tax attorney, and Kathy Dallman, a former teacher. Dallman attended Dunwood Elementary, Bayside Middle School, University School of Milwaukee
and Emerson College
. He however did not complete his studies at Emerson and, after two years, moved to New York City
to pursue his music career.
Christopher started playing the guitar at the age of 16 and practiced piano for 8 years. Self-taught on guitar, Christopher started playing by writing his own original songs. He was not learning how to play fast enough in the standard tuning of the guitar and instead began re-tuning the strings to his own preference and has never played in the standard tuning since. In 1996 when Christopher was 18, he started playing at a local coffee shop on the east side of Milwaukee called Sunset Boulevard. He would play every Friday night and developed a devoted following. In 1997, Dallman moved to Boston
, Massachusetts
and was the lead singer in the band The Rory Calhoun Project. The band performed around the Boston
area, breaking up a year after starting. After the band's end, Christopher developed a paralyzing stage fright
which prevented him from performing for several years.
In 2000, Dallman moved to New York City
. In an attempt to conquer his recent fear of performing live, Christopher would sign up to perform at open mic events in the East Village
only to become too nervous to sing and subsequently leave before his turn. In 2001, Christopher began to subdue his fear and started performing again. Dallman would play at small clubs in Alphabet City
and considers those performances as the start of his professional career. Christopher tried to land recording contracts through the standard route of recording demo's and sending them to different record labels. He had some interest from the labels but ultimately was not signed. Dallman grew frustrated with the process and decided to pursue his music career independently. Only after a week of choosing his independent career, Christopher met producer Mike Newman. He managed to find an investor for his album and began working on his first record. Newman and Dallman worked on the album from October 2003 to March 2004, recording it at Scullville Studios in South Jersey
, New Jersey
. Contributors to what ultimately became his first album, Race The Light, included Ivan Funk, Devin Greenwood, Rachel Alina, and Dred Scott. Race The Light was released on the 20th of April 2004 under the independent label Treasure Records. Christopher debuted the album with a live set at New York
's famous folk venue The Living Room
. In May 2004, Dallman moved to Los Angeles
, California
for personal reasons and to try expand his foothold in the music industry.
The touring and promotion of Race The Light was grass roots and internet based. Dallman utilized the social networking site MySpace
and managed to book almost two years of touring in the United States
and overseas without an agent or manager. He performed at colleges, small clubs, theaters and even living rooms.
In October 2008, Christopher attended his mother's wedding in Grand Rapids, Michigan
, a city he had only visited a few times. Dallman was in the lobby of the reception venue when a stranger recognized him and promptly began to tell him of his enjoyment of his music. Christopher considered this to be a sign that he was ready to return to music.
after the passage of Proposition 8
in California
. This was also Dallman's first song to be released under his own record label, Beauteous Bird Records.
After the completion of Anthem, Dallman reconnected with Rachel Alina who had been the assistant engineer on Race The Light. Alina brought Dallman to Barrie Maguire, who used to play bass in the Wallflowers and was a producer of several Amos Lee
records. Barrie took Dallman to Redstar Studios in Silverlake, Los Angeles and started recording with him. Dallman had raised a substantial amount of money for recording through an online campaign asking friends and fans to donate. While recording, Dallman decided to release a series of EPs as opposed to a second full album as he felt that he was entering the music industry from a fresh perspective. Dallman felt that releasing several shorter albums would strengthen his public profile by building higher public awareness of his music through each subsequent EP. Dallman also felt that his writing over the previous few years had been disjointed and did not seem to arc into a theme which would warrant a full second album.
In 2009, Dallman released two multi-song EPs. His first, Never Was, was an original compilation of four songs; while his second, Sad Britney
, was a collection of four Britney Spears
cover songs. Sad Britney
was the first release of Dallman's to chart on a public forum and climbed to number six on the iTunes singer-songwriter charts on its release based on word of mouth promotion alone. Christopher's first single off of Never Was, Ghosts, topped the MTVMusic.com charts within two weeks of its release. Christopher released music videos for the songs "Gimme More" (off of his Sad Britney
EP) and "Ghosts" (off of his Never Was EP). The "Ghosts" music video charted on Logo TV's "The Click List" for five consecutive weeks.
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. Dallman has released a full album (Race the Light) and four EPs (Sad Britney
Sad Britney
Sad Britney is the third EP from American singer-songwriter Christopher Dallman. It was released on November 9, 2009 by Beauteous Bird Records. After hearing Dallman's cover of Britney Spears's "Gimme More", producer Rachel Alina suggested releasing an EP of Spears's songs to bring attention to his...
, Never Was, Live in L.A, Light The Love).
Early life and start of professional career
Christopher was born and raised in Milwaukee, WisconsinWisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
, the son of Robert Dallman, a tax attorney, and Kathy Dallman, a former teacher. Dallman attended Dunwood Elementary, Bayside Middle School, University School of Milwaukee
University School of Milwaukee
The University School of Milwaukee is a private pre-kindergarten through secondary preparatory school located on in River Hills and Milwaukee, Wisconsin...
and Emerson College
Emerson College
Emerson College is a private coeducational university located in Boston, Massachusetts. Founded in 1880 by Charles Wesley Emerson as a "school of oratory," Emerson is "the only comprehensive college or university in America dedicated exclusively to communication and the arts in a liberal arts...
. He however did not complete his studies at Emerson and, after two years, moved to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
to pursue his music career.
Christopher started playing the guitar at the age of 16 and practiced piano for 8 years. Self-taught on guitar, Christopher started playing by writing his own original songs. He was not learning how to play fast enough in the standard tuning of the guitar and instead began re-tuning the strings to his own preference and has never played in the standard tuning since. In 1996 when Christopher was 18, he started playing at a local coffee shop on the east side of Milwaukee called Sunset Boulevard. He would play every Friday night and developed a devoted following. In 1997, Dallman moved to Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
and was the lead singer in the band The Rory Calhoun Project. The band performed around the Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
area, breaking up a year after starting. After the band's end, Christopher developed a paralyzing stage fright
Stage fright
Stage fright or performance anxiety is the anxiety, fear, or persistent phobia which may be aroused in an individual by the requirement to perform in front of an audience, whether actually or potentially . In the context of public speaking, this fear is termed glossophobia, one of the most common...
which prevented him from performing for several years.
In 2000, Dallman moved to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. In an attempt to conquer his recent fear of performing live, Christopher would sign up to perform at open mic events in the East Village
East Village, Manhattan
The East Village is a neighborhood in the borough of Manhattan in New York City, lying east of Greenwich Village, south of Gramercy and Stuyvesant Town, and north of the Lower East Side...
only to become too nervous to sing and subsequently leave before his turn. In 2001, Christopher began to subdue his fear and started performing again. Dallman would play at small clubs in Alphabet City
Alphabet City
Alphabet City may refer to:*Alphabet City, Manhattan, a neighborhood in New York City*Alphabet City , a 1987 album by the band ABC*Alphabet City , a 1984 crime drama film directed by Amos Poe...
and considers those performances as the start of his professional career. Christopher tried to land recording contracts through the standard route of recording demo's and sending them to different record labels. He had some interest from the labels but ultimately was not signed. Dallman grew frustrated with the process and decided to pursue his music career independently. Only after a week of choosing his independent career, Christopher met producer Mike Newman. He managed to find an investor for his album and began working on his first record. Newman and Dallman worked on the album from October 2003 to March 2004, recording it at Scullville Studios in South Jersey
South Jersey
South Jersey comprises the southern portions of the U.S. state of New Jersey between the lower Delaware River and the Atlantic Ocean. The designation is a colloquial one, reflecting not only geographical but perceived cultural differences from the northern part of the state, with no official...
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
. Contributors to what ultimately became his first album, Race The Light, included Ivan Funk, Devin Greenwood, Rachel Alina, and Dred Scott. Race The Light was released on the 20th of April 2004 under the independent label Treasure Records. Christopher debuted the album with a live set at New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
's famous folk venue The Living Room
The Living Room
The Living Room is a music venue on Ludlow Street on the Lower East Side in New York City that was established in 1988. The Living Room is co-owned by Steve Rosenthal and Jennifer Gilson. The Living Room has showcased some of the best of New York City’s singer/songwriter, alt-country, and rock world...
. In May 2004, Dallman moved to Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
for personal reasons and to try expand his foothold in the music industry.
The touring and promotion of Race The Light was grass roots and internet based. Dallman utilized the social networking site MySpace
MySpace
Myspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
and managed to book almost two years of touring in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and overseas without an agent or manager. He performed at colleges, small clubs, theaters and even living rooms.
Exit from music and subsequent return
When Dallman finished touring in 2006, he was exhausted and financially strained after strenuously promoting Race The Light over the course of two years. While promoting the record, Christopher had not written any new songs and did not feel motivated to write. Frustrated that his first album had not expanded his career, Christopher no longer felt that music was a viable option for him anymore. Over the next few years, Christopher had totally left the music industry and was waiting tables at local restaurants. During this time he continued to write songs, albeit, at a slowed pace.In October 2008, Christopher attended his mother's wedding in Grand Rapids, Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
, a city he had only visited a few times. Dallman was in the lobby of the reception venue when a stranger recognized him and promptly began to tell him of his enjoyment of his music. Christopher considered this to be a sign that he was ready to return to music.
Return to music
Dallman's first recorded song after his departure from music was a single-song EP called "Anthem". It was produced by George Stanford and recorded at his home studio in Hollywood. "Anthem" was released in August 2009 with half of all proceeds from the single going to support the Human Rights CampaignHuman Rights Campaign
The Human Rights Campaign is the United States' largest LGBT advocacy group and lobbying organization; according to the HRC, it has more than one million members and supporters...
after the passage of Proposition 8
California Proposition 8 (2008)
Proposition 8 was a ballot proposition and constitutional amendment passed in the November 2008 state elections...
in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. This was also Dallman's first song to be released under his own record label, Beauteous Bird Records.
After the completion of Anthem, Dallman reconnected with Rachel Alina who had been the assistant engineer on Race The Light. Alina brought Dallman to Barrie Maguire, who used to play bass in the Wallflowers and was a producer of several Amos Lee
Amos Lee
Amos Lee is an American singer-songwriter whose musical style encompasses folk, rock and soul. Lee has four albums on Blue Note Records and has toured as an opening act for Bob Dylan, Elvis Costello, Norah Jones, Paul Simon, Merle Haggard, Van Morrison, John Prine, Dave Matthews Band and Adele. In...
records. Barrie took Dallman to Redstar Studios in Silverlake, Los Angeles and started recording with him. Dallman had raised a substantial amount of money for recording through an online campaign asking friends and fans to donate. While recording, Dallman decided to release a series of EPs as opposed to a second full album as he felt that he was entering the music industry from a fresh perspective. Dallman felt that releasing several shorter albums would strengthen his public profile by building higher public awareness of his music through each subsequent EP. Dallman also felt that his writing over the previous few years had been disjointed and did not seem to arc into a theme which would warrant a full second album.
In 2009, Dallman released two multi-song EPs. His first, Never Was, was an original compilation of four songs; while his second, Sad Britney
Sad Britney
Sad Britney is the third EP from American singer-songwriter Christopher Dallman. It was released on November 9, 2009 by Beauteous Bird Records. After hearing Dallman's cover of Britney Spears's "Gimme More", producer Rachel Alina suggested releasing an EP of Spears's songs to bring attention to his...
, was a collection of four Britney Spears
Britney Spears
Britney Jean Spears is an American recording artist and entertainer. Born in McComb, Mississippi, and raised in Kentwood, Louisiana, Spears began performing as a child, landing acting roles in stage productions and television shows. She signed with Jive Records in 1997 and released her debut album...
cover songs. Sad Britney
Sad Britney
Sad Britney is the third EP from American singer-songwriter Christopher Dallman. It was released on November 9, 2009 by Beauteous Bird Records. After hearing Dallman's cover of Britney Spears's "Gimme More", producer Rachel Alina suggested releasing an EP of Spears's songs to bring attention to his...
was the first release of Dallman's to chart on a public forum and climbed to number six on the iTunes singer-songwriter charts on its release based on word of mouth promotion alone. Christopher's first single off of Never Was, Ghosts, topped the MTVMusic.com charts within two weeks of its release. Christopher released music videos for the songs "Gimme More" (off of his Sad Britney
Sad Britney
Sad Britney is the third EP from American singer-songwriter Christopher Dallman. It was released on November 9, 2009 by Beauteous Bird Records. After hearing Dallman's cover of Britney Spears's "Gimme More", producer Rachel Alina suggested releasing an EP of Spears's songs to bring attention to his...
EP) and "Ghosts" (off of his Never Was EP). The "Ghosts" music video charted on Logo TV's "The Click List" for five consecutive weeks.
Current EP
In September, 2011, Christopher released his latest EP titled Light The Love. The EP comprises five original songs and is available as a digital download as well as a limited edition autographed physical disc. Light The Love was released under Dallman's own music label, Beauteous Bird.Discography
| Release Date | Title | Record Label |
|---|---|---|
| April 20, 2004 | Race The Light | Treasure Records |
| October 28, 2008 | New Arrivals (Various Artists) | MPress Records |
| August 18, 2009 | Anthem | Beauteous Bird |
| October 27, 2009 | Never Was | Beauteous Bird |
| November 24, 2009 | Sad Britney Sad Britney Sad Britney is the third EP from American singer-songwriter Christopher Dallman. It was released on November 9, 2009 by Beauteous Bird Records. After hearing Dallman's cover of Britney Spears's "Gimme More", producer Rachel Alina suggested releasing an EP of Spears's songs to bring attention to his... |
Beauteous Bird |
| August 3, 2010 | Live in LA | Beauteous Bird |
| September, 2011 | Light The Love | Beauteous Bird |