Chris Montez - The More I See You (1966)

Chris Montez (born Ezekiel Christopher Montanez; 17 January 1943), is an American singer.

Montez grew up in Hawthorne, California, influenced by the Latino-flavored music of his community and the success of Ritchie Valens.

In 1962, he recorded the single "Let's Dance" on Monogram Records. It went to #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the U.S. and to #2 on the UK Singles Chart. The follow-up, "Some Kinda Fun", was a lesser hit. However, both records sold over one million copies, and were awarded gold discs.

Montez toured with Clyde McPhatter, Sam Cooke, The Platters, and Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, and The Beatles opened a London concert for him while performing with Tommy Roe.

Montez returned to the recording studio in 1965, this time at A&M Records. Montez was searching for the same rock and roll formula that would replicate the success of "Let's Dance". During a recording session, A&M co-founder Herb Alpert (who co-produced Montez's first A&M album) suggested that Montez try a different approach: a middle of the road, soft ballad sound. Though reluctant at first, Montez agreed to go along with his mentor's suggestion.

"Call Me" (a Tony Hatch composition first recorded by Petula Clark) was the first single released from his 1966 A&M album, The More I See You. The title single from the album, sung in a soft, very high tenor range and played on primarily adult-formatted radio stations, confused some disc jockeys, who were unfamiliar with Montez's past work. When announcing the song, the DJs would often refer to Montez as a female.[citation needed] But by the time the album was released, Montez's pictures on the front and back of the jacket cleared up any mystery surrounding his gender, as explained in the album's notes on the back of the record jacket.

Released in November 1965, "Call Me" entered the Easy Listening Top 40 in Billboard that December, entering the Billboard Hot 100 in January 1966; that March "Call Me" peaked on the Easy Listening chart at #2 and on the Hot 100 at #22.

The More I See You album yielded two additional Top 40 singles for Montez: The title cut, plus "There Will Never Be Another You".

Montez recorded three more albums for A&M: Time After Time, Foolin' Around, and Watch What Happens. None of these albums mirrored the success of The More I See You. The title cut "Time After Time", did reach #36 on the Billboard Hot 100, but no other singles made the top 40. Subsequent singles hit below the top 40, or only on the Billboard Easy Listening Top 40. Following the release of Watch What Happens in 1968, Montez left A&M Records.

In November 1972, Montez charted a Latin hit in Brazil: "Loco por ti (Crazy About You)".

Montez resurfaced in 1974 at CBS Records, with the release of a new LP, The Best of Chris Montez, a mix of both old and new recordings.

Montez recorded one more album for CBS: Raza: Ay No Digas, which did well internationally, but failed to make an impact in the U.S. His final album, with exclusively Spanish-language material, was Cartas de Amor, released on the independent label AYM in 1983.

Most of his American appearances in 2007 were in Branson, Missouri.

In July 2008, Frozen Pictures announced plans to produce a documentary musical film on Montez's life and career. "'Chris Montez is an incredibly influential musician whose life and music have touched on every major thread in rock n' roll, from Latino rock to R&B, Sixties pop to lounge, surf to punk,' said Burt Kearns, who writes, produces or directs all of Frozen's projects with Brett Hudson. 'His story is epic.'" Montez and Hudson premiered The Chris Montez Story at The Fest for Beatles Fans in March 2010 in Secaucus, New Jersey.

Montez continues to perform throughout the U.S. and internationally.
Chris Montez
Birth name Ezekiel Christopher Montanez
Born 17 January 1943 (1943-01-17) (age 67)
Los Angeles, California,
United States
Genres Rock, standards
Occupations Singersongwriter
Instruments Guitar, vocals
Years active 1962present
Labels A&M, Monogram, Columbia
Website Official website

Category:

Music

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• 1966
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[TangierStefan]

What a beautiful sweet song....it really reflects the innocent chalm of those wonderful days of the 60s.

[compulsiveguy55]

Growing up in the 60's we had a little Restaurant / Gas station up the street with 2 gas pumps out in front, they had a Juke Box and a Pinball machine inside. I have fond memories being there and hearing this song on the Juke Box. Those were the days and those memories I will cherish forever. Love this song and the thoughts that go with it.

[Emporator]

@TangierStefan Charm or calm?

[60srecords]

I didnt realize that he had so many hits until back in the 90s when i met someone who had his records,so we played them all night..Gotta love Chris Montez..

[Gisellare]

Chris tiene una voz tan dulce.

[Karlpetry]

I wish I had a time machine to go back to those days. What beautiful music and a great time to be alive.

[Babyhowdy233]

I interviewed him in 2001 at the London Palladium and I can honestly say he was one of the nicest people I've ever met. :D

[mikebarnes5194]

CHRIS MONTEZ(ECM) was great, love all his songs produced so well!

[blackandtanful]

ﾎﾟﾗﾝｽｷｰ"ﾌﾗﾝﾃｨｯｸ"で､ながれたね!～ｸﾘｽ･ﾓ­ﾝﾃｽ"MORE I SEE YOU"～ﾊﾘｿﾝ･ﾌｫｰﾄﾞとｴﾏﾆｴﾙ･ｾｲﾅｰのﾊﾟﾘ­のｸﾗﾌﾞでした! #eiga

[craig98shari]

Thanks for posting. Great Chri song and he does look great .... 67 years young amazing.

[spleeeen4it]

A classic.

[glenngrabcello]

Chris was a nice guy when I knew him, we used to box at the Left Hook Gym on Winnetka and Sherman way, in the Valley...he went by te name of Zeke, but I knew who he was>>>