Chris Isaak (Christopher Joseph Isaak) was born on June 26, 1956, is an American indie rock, pop and rock and roll singer, songwriter, and occasional actor. Isaak's music can be described as a blend of country, blues, rock and roll, pop and surf rock. Isaak signed a contract to Warner Bros.

Records in 1984 for his first album Silvertone. Isaak's second self-titled album Chris Isaak was photographed by fashion photographer Bruce Weber. Isaak's contract was renewed in 1988 when Warner Bros. moved him to their Reprise Records label. His best-known song is "Wicked Game".

Though released on the 1989 album Heart Shaped World, an instrumental version of the song was later featured in the David Lynch film Wild at Heart (and also years later in the 2000 film The Family Man). Lee Chesnut, an Atlanta radio station music director who was obsessed with David Lynch films, began playing the full version and it quickly became a nationwide top ten hit.

The music video for the song was directed by Herb Ritts and was a big MTV and VH1 hit; shot in black and white, it starred Isaak and Danish supermodel Helena Christensen rolling on the beach, embracing and whispering in each others' ears.

Another less-seen version of the "Wicked Game" is directed by David Lynch and comprises scenes from the film Wild at Heart. Isaak also composed a theme song for US late-night television variety/talk show, The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn. In 2001, Isaak starred in his own television show, The Chris Isaak Show.

It aired from March 2001 to March 2004 in the United States on the cable television network Showtime. This adult comedy show featured Chris Isaak and his band playing themselves with the episode plots based on fictional accounts of the backstage world of Chris Isaak--the rock star next door.

In 2004, his track "Life Will Go On" was featured on Chasing Liberty's soundtrack, which starred Mandy Moore and Matthew Goode. His track "Two Hearts" was featured in the closing credits of the 1993 film True Romance, directed by Tony Scott, written by Quentin Tarantino, and starring Christian Slater and Patricia Arquette.

Isaak's longtime producer, Erik Jacobsen, was instrumental in his sound for 15 years. Jacobsen is known for his production work with The Lovin' Spoonful, and solo albums from Spoonful's John Sebastian and Jerry Yester. Isaak ceased working with Jacobsen on his 2002 album, Always Got Tonight.