Chris Montez
A versatile singer who surfed from rock and roll frenzy with 'Let's Dance' to smooth pop ballads and Latin rhythms across a long career.
Born 1943 (age 83)·American guitarist and vocalist·Birthday: January 17·The Silent Generation
Biography
Chris Montez’s musical path is a map of American pop in the 1960s. Discovered while still in high school, his raw, energetic 1962 hit 'Let's Dance'—produced by the legendary Jim Lee—catapulted him onto the charts and onto tours with the biggest names in rock. As the British Invasion shifted tastes, Montez didn't fade away; he reinvented. Under the guidance of Herb Alpert, he smoothed his sound, applying his warm, gentle tenor to pop standards. The shift worked brilliantly, yielding soft-rock staples like 'The More I See You' and 'Call Me.' Never confined to one genre, he later embraced his Mexican heritage, recording albums of Latin music. For decades, Montez has maintained a steady touring presence, a testament to an adaptable talent who connected with audiences in the dance-craze era, the lounge, and beyond.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
Chris was born in 1943, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Chris Was Born
The biggest hits of 1943
#1 Movie
For Whom the Bell Tolls
Best Picture
Casablanca
Chris's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1943Born
Allies invade Sicily; Battle of Stalingrad ends
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $3,290Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"I've Heard That Song Before" — Harry JamesBest Picture: Casablanca
1948Started school
Israel declares independence; Berlin Blockade begins
Gas: $0.26/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Twelfth Street Rag" — Pee Wee HuntBest Picture: Hamlet
1956Became a teenager
Elvis Presley appears on The Ed Sullivan Show
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $10,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Heartbreak Hotel" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: Around the World in 80 Days
1959Could drive
Fidel Castro takes power in Cuba
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $12,400Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"The Battle of New Orleans" — Johnny HortonBest Picture: Ben-Hur
1961Could vote
Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human in space
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,500Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Tossin' and Turnin'" — Bobby LewisBest Picture: West Side Story
1964Turned 21
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1973Turned 30
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1983Turned 40
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1993Turned 50
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
2003Turned 60
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2013Turned 70
Edward Snowden reveals NSA surveillance programs
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $152,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Thrift Shop" — Macklemore & Ryan LewisBest Picture: 12 Years a Slave
2023Turned 80
ChatGPT goes mainstream; Israel-Hamas war begins
Gas: $3.52/galHome: $361,600Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Flowers" — Miley CyrusBest Picture: Oppenheimer
2026Age 83 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Scored a top-ten hit with the rock and roll song 'Let's Dance' in 1962.
- Successfully transitioned to a pop ballad style, hitting the charts again with 'The More I See You' in 1966.
- Maintained a performing career spanning over six decades, touring internationally.
Did You Know?
He was a protege of Herb Alpert and recorded for Alpert's A&M label.
His early touring lineup included opening for The Beatles on their first American tour in 1964.
He studied music at East Los Angeles College under a scholarship from A&M Records.
“From 'Let's Dance' to bossa nova, I followed the music.”
