Chris Garneau (Boston, Massachusetts, November 5, 1982) is an American singer-songwriter and musician. Garneau's sound combines elements of folk, Americana, pop, baroque, and carnival music. Since releasing his debut album, Music for Tourists, Garneau has toured throughout the United States, Canada, Brazil, Europe, and Asia.
Garneau cites Jeff Buckley, Nina Simone, Nico, and Chan Marshall as influences. He lives in Brooklyn, New York.
Garneau, a native of Boston, lived with his family in Paris during grade school, and later New Jersey before moving to New York City. Garneau discovered a love of music at a young age while learning to play piano. After high school, Garneau briefly attended Berklee College of Music in Boston, but left after completing one term and moved to Brooklyn. There he began writing music and playing live shows at small venues in the East Village and Lower East Side of Manhattan, including CBGB's Gallery and the Living Room.
Garneau eventually signed with Absolutely Kosher Records, an Emeryville, California-based record label. He was brought to the label by Jamie Stewart and Caralee McElroy of Xiu Xiu. Garneau released his debut album Music for Tourists in October 2006 and on iTunes in January 2007. In March 2007 he did a Take-Away Show video session shot by Vincent Moon. His next project, an EP called "C-Sides", was released in December 2007.
The soundtrack to season four of TV's Grey's Anatomy includes Garneau's music. The episode "Love/Addiction" features his song "Castle-Time," and the episode "Forever Young" features the song "Black and Blue." The series premiere of Private Practice, "In Which We Meet Addison, a Nice Girl From Somewhere Else," features the song "Sad News."
Garneau has also appeared on Logo's NewNowNext Music television show where he talked about Music for Tourists and his video for "Relief".
His cover of Elliott Smith's "Between the Bars" was featured in Pedro Almodóvar's 2011 film The Skin I Live In.
He has been collaborating on a yet-to-be-named musical project with Caralee McElroy. His song, "Dirty Night Clowns", is widely famous among Homestuck fans.
