Biography
Rex Smith first gained widespread attention as a late-seventies and early-eighties heartthrob whose several Columbia Records releases captured that era’s pop sensibilities. In addition to his studio work, he accumulated an extensive list of television and stage credits. Born in Jacksonville, Florida, on September 19, 1955, he secured his initial major opportunity in 1978 by taking on the part of Danny Zuko in a Broadway staging of Grease; that appearance quickly opened the door to a recording contract. The soundtrack for the 1979 television film Sooner or Later, in which he starred, produced the Top Ten single “You Take My Breath Away,” and both the song and the accompanying album earned gold status. His visibility among adolescent fans surged, with his image appearing on the covers of 16 and Teen Beat for several consecutive years. Subsequent releases followed, among them the 1983 album Camouflage, an effort that repositioned him as a rock artist with guest contributions from the J. Geils Band’s Peter Wolf and Aerosmith’s Brad Whitford; none of these later projects, however, repeated the commercial reach of his 1979 breakthrough. He found stronger recognition in the theater, earning a Theater World Award for his performance as Frederick in The Pirates of Penzance, a production that reached the screen in a 1983 film adaptation also featuring Smith. Between 1982 and 1983 he succeeded Andy Gibb as host of the weekly music program Solid Gold. Throughout the remainder of the eighties and into the nineties he maintained an active schedule in both plays and television, appearing in Broadway productions such as The Human Comedy, Grand Hotel, and The Scarlet Pimpernel, and guest-starring on series including Norm, JAG, and Baywatch. Early in the new century he established his official website, www.rexsmith.com, and used the platform to release a fresh album named after his signature hit, the 2002 collection You Take My Breath Away.
Albums
