Seattle’s music community is mourning the loss of a significant figure, Charles R. Cross, who passed away peacefully of natural causes in his sleep on August 9th, 2024, at the age of 67. His family has expressed their deep sorrow, stating, “We are all grief-stricken and trying to get through this difficult process of dealing with the next steps.”
Cross played an instrumental role in shaping Seattle’s music landscape through his work as a journalist and author. His career took flight in 1982 at the local music publication, where he served as editor from 1986 until its closure in 2000. During this period, he witnessed the meteoric rise of the grunge movement, documenting the transformation of Kurt Cobain from an aspiring musician to the iconic frontman of Nirvana.
In 2001, Cross released his acclaimed biography, Heavier Than Heaven: A Biography of Kurt Cobain, which became a bestseller and earned the ASCAP Award for Outstanding Biography in 2002. His extensive research included over 400 interviews and unprecedented access to Cobain’s private journals and photographs. This remarkable work was followed by Cobain Unseen in 2008 and Here We Are Now: The Lasting Impact of Kurt Cobain in 2014.
Before his focus on Cobain, Cross was dedicated to celebrating Bruce Springsteen, founding the influential fanzine Backstreets Magazine in 1980. What began as a free publication at a Springsteen concert evolved into a 43-year project that chronicled the life and music of the iconic artist, and sparked Cross’s first book, Backstreets: Springsteen, the Man and His Music, published in 1989.
Throughout his prolific career, Cross authored nine books, with notable titles including the bestselling Room Full of Mirrors: A Biography of Jimi Hendrix (2005), Led Zeppelin: Heaven and Hell (1991), and Led Zeppelin: Shadows Taller Than Our Souls (2019). Additionally, he co-authored works such as Classic Rock Albums: Nevermind: Nirvana and Kicking & Dreaming: A Story of Heart, Soul, and Rock & Roll with members of Heart. As a respected music journalist, Cross contributed articles to numerous prominent publications, leaving a lasting impact on music journalism.
