New age composer/multi-instrumentalist Chris Spheeris began writing songs on his guitar as a teenager. Inspired by the sacred and folk music of his Greek heritage and other world music, classical music, and pop, Spheeris fused these elements together into his own unique musical style. The folk aspects of his music were prominent early in his career as part of a duo with guitarist/composer Paul Voudouris in the '70s and early '80s. After they disbanded, Spheeris began to create a more complex, keyboard-based sound, which he documented on self-produced demo tapes. One of these demos found its way to the A&R department at Columbia Records, with whom Spheeris signed a deal in 1985. The label released his debut album, Desires of the Heart, and Pathways to Surrender before he left in the early '90s to form his own label, Essence, which released most of his solo output and two reunions with Voudouris: Enchantment and Nothing but the Truth. Along with his solo albums, Spheeris has also composed scores for cable and public television documentaries. He released his Higher Octave Records debut, Dancing With the Muse, in early 2000 .