Christopher Ward

Christopher William Ward (born 28 July 1949) is a Canadian songwriter and broadcaster, known as a former long-standing on-air personality at MuchMusic, Canada's music video network, where he and J.D. Roberts were among the first video jockeys in 1984. Ward was a judge on The Next Star which was a Canadian reality television show on YTV.

As a recording artist, Ward charted several singles in Canada between 1976 and 1981. As a songwriter, he achieved notable success with Alannah Myles' recording of "Black Velvet", which reached number 1 on the US charts in 1990. He has also written songs recorded by Diana Ross, Backstreet Boys, Wynonna Judd, Amanda Marshall, Tina Arena, Peter Cetera, Anne Murray and Meredith Brooks, amongst others.

Early career Born in Toronto, Ontario, Ward began his music career in the early 1970s while attending Trent University in Peterborough, Ontario, where he was a member of the school's campus radio station. He also played a minor role as a musician in an episode of The Kids of Degrassi Street alongside Alannah Myles in 1984. The show was broadcast from CITY-TV's old Queen Street East studios and apart from playing the latest music videos, hosted guests. Bands such as Bon Jovi and actors like Mike Myers—playing his Wayne's World character long before Saturday Night Live made it famous—added to the prototype of what MuchMusic would become.

Songwriting Ward has written many songs for artists such as Hilary Duff, Diana Ross, Backstreet Boys, Wynonna Judd, Amanda Marshall, Tina Arena, Peter Cetera, Anne Murray and Meredith Brooks.