Chris Carrabba

Chris Carrabba
Carrabba performing in 2015
Background information
Birth name	Christopher Andrew Carrabba
Also known as	Chris "Ender" Carrabba
Born	(1975-04-10)April 10, 1975 West Hartford,Connecticut,U.S.
Origin	Boca Raton, Florida
Genres	Alternative rock,indie rock,emo,acoustic rock
Instrument(s)	Vocals, guitar, piano, keyboards
Years active	1991–present

Christopher Andrew Carrabba(born April 10, 1975) is an American musician who is the lead singer and guitarist of the bandDashboard Confessional,lead singer of the bandFurther Seems Forever,and lead vocalist for the folk bandTwin Forks.

Early life and education

Born inWest Hartford,Connecticut,United States, Carrabba's parents divorced when he was three. At age 16, he moved with his mother Anne, brother Nick, stepbrother and stepfather toBoca Raton,Florida.Carrabba remains close to some relatives on his paternal side, but is not close to his father Andrew.

As a teenager, Carrabba was interested in skateboarding and passionate about music. In high school, he started singing in his choir. At 15, his two cousins found a guitar in their basement, presumably belonging to their father but the true owner is unknown. Carrabba ended up with the guitar when one of them figured he would be the only one who could play it. After graduating fromBoca Raton Community High School,Carrabba became more serious about music and joined his first band, The Vacant Andys, and matriculated toFlorida Atlantic Universityto study education.

At college, alongside studies, Carrabba played with the Vacant Andys and, later, with the Agency, which featured Chris Carrabba on their second LP,ENGINES.This was the first recording to feature both Mike Marsh and Chris Carrabba before Mike Marsh became Dashboard Confessional's full-time drummer. For several years, Chris taught at an elementary school in South Florida and played with the groupFurther Seems Forever.

Dashboard Confessional was born when Chris recorded theDrowningEP with Fiddler Records. "I started (Dashboard) as a side project from the band I was in," says Carrabba. "I was going through something really tough at the time and since I don't write in a journal, this is what I did with it. It was a good way to get it out of my system. I never thought anyone would hear these songs, but I played some for my friends and one of them who owned a little label talked me into recording." The name Dashboard Confessional comes from the song "The Sharp Hint of New Tears." The lyric "On the way home, this car hears my confessions" brought to mind the phrase "Dashboard Confessional."

Carrabba was a special education teacher prior to his success with Dashboard Confessional, often keeping a guitar in his office to write songs during downtime.

Personal life

In 2008, just as he was wrapping up work on the sixth Dashboard Confessional album, Carrabba's sister was in a serious car accident that put her in a coma for several months. "I was torn between being with her through most of her waking hours until we were kicked out of the hospital at the end of their shifts and going home and doing my work," he said.

Carrabba required double shoulder surgeries following a motorcycle accident in 2020.

Career

Carrabba in 2005

Carrabba started his career with the Vacant Andys. In 1998, while playing with the Vacant Andys, he filled in on guitar inNew Found Glory,when regular guitaristChad Gilbertwas on tour with his other band,Shai Hulud.In 2001, he joined the bandFurther Seems Foreverfor their debut albumThe Moon is Down,before moving on to found Dashboard Confessional. In 2002, Dashboard Confessional won the MTV2 Award at MTV Music Awards for the video for "Screaming Infidelities." The video was considered the "dark horse" nominee at the time, as it was up againstThe Strokes,The Hives,Norah Jones,Nappy Roots,andMusiq.The video was directed byMaureen Eganand Matthew Barry.

Reuniting with Further Seems Forever

It was announced on August 24, 2010, that Further Seems Forever would be reuniting with original vocalist Chris Carrabba with the release of a teaser video featuring rehearsal footage of the song "The Moon Is Down."

Covered in the Flood

In November 2011, Carrabba releasedCovered in the Flood,an album of covers exclusively on his solo US tour. The album contains 10 tracks originally performed by artists that includeR.E.M.,Big Star,Guy Clark,Justin Townes Earleandthe Replacements.

Guest appearances

• Carrabba appears on theHot Rod Circuitsong "Unfaithful".
• Carrabba provides backing vocals on theSay Anythingsong "Retarded in Love", on theTwothirtyeightalbumRegulate the Chemicals,and on theNew Found Glorycover of the song "The Promise",which is featured on the albumFrom the Screen to Your Stereo Part II.
• Carrabba also appears in Notar's song "Reach."
• Carrabba appears innothing,nowhere.'s song "Hopes Up", featured on the albumREAPER.
• Carrabba is featured on a version of the bandNeck Deep's hit single "December".
• Carrabba was a special guest DJ at Emo Nite LA's second anniversary party.
• Carrabba is featured in the Yellowcard song, "The Places We'll Go".
• Carrabba is featured on Ruston Kelly's cover of the Dashboard Confessional song "Screaming Infidelities".
• Carrabba is featured onBusted's re-recording of their 2002 song "Everything I Knew" from their albumGreatest Hits 2.0(guest features edition).

External links

• Media related toChris Carrabbaat Wikimedia Commons