Chris Gardner has been playing guitar since age 12, and piano since he was 3 years old. He wrote his first song when he was 8. Call it fear of fame or unabashed artistic modesty, Mr. Gardner has turned down auditions from both major producers and labels. It is difficult to obtain his music in most fixed forms. If you want a CD you have to email and ask him or come to one of his live performances. Chris Gardner , also known as "Country Chris", has enjoyed great success on the internet. Between 2000 to 2003, he accumulated over a million plays and downloads at www.mp3.com/chrisgardner and iuma.com/chrisgardner. Gardner also started "Mp3Artists", one of mp3.com's "New Music Army" internet music promotion organizations. Talented artists like Lee Muller, Will Mendez and 2014, Anna in The Dark, Foddershock, Redshift, Kelly Adams and many more bands and artists, new to the online scene, enjoyed Chris Gardner and MP3Artists promotion. Mr. Gardner has written dozens of songs , many anthems of social change and activism. From his early post Vietnam ode, "The Ballad of GI Joe" to the touching storytelling in "Danny and Danielle"(a eulogy dedicated to the murder-kidnap victims Daniel Pearl and Danielle Van Dam), most everyone who listens, is deeply moved by Gardner's masterful lyrics and unique, powerful vocals. Chris has played throughout the USA, mainly New York, California and Texas. During the 1980s he became well known in upstate New York as "Country" Chris, because of his small town origins and personality, not his style of music. His songwriting and creative lead work, made him somewhat of a legend and performance staple throughout Western New York. He also became very well known in Texas, mainly Dallas, where he he enjoyed success as "the songwriting champion", winning more songwriting competitions, than any other artist in 1980's Dallas-Fort Worth. Chris Gardner opened for and played with artists like John Vandiver, Steve Fromholtz, Allan Damron, Shake Russell, Nanci Griffith,and many other excellent Texas songwriters and performers. His first trip away from home in the 1970s, landing him in San Francisco, where he played up and down the California coast, from The Blue Unicorn in The Haight to Esalen Institue and Nepenthe in Big Sur. Gardner took up residence in "The Sur", where he also worked for The Santa Lucia Ranch as a logger and fisherman. He played weekly at The Ventana Inn, by the fireplace in the lobby, meeting various celebrities and "show biz" folk. His only trip to Los Angeles, came at the invitation of artist manager Peter Bradley, who took him to "The Ranch" in Malibu, west coast headquaters for Bob Dylan, Robbie Roberson and The Band. Country Chris got out of L.A. as quickly as possible. Too much concrete for the wandering ministrel. Chris Gardner currently resides in Chautauqua County, the western most county in New York State. He lives just a few miles from where he was born, with two black cats and a couple of painted turtles named "Lucky" and "Little Luck". Always the artistic recluse, he continues to make music, art, and award winning photography; avoiding "fame" and enjoying privacy. Chris Gardner developed an aversion to noteriety, working for his father's broadcasting company. Always in "the spotlight", as a kid, he graduated fron high school, without experiencing the "normal" teen social life. Country Chris now lives life like he wants, without concern for the media glare.