Adam Crossley performing at Red Ball for the American Red Cross. (ContactMusic.com)

Adam Crossley made a new wave of hits when he brought his “Beautiful World” to the Red Ball, a gala event last week in Philadelphia to benefit the American Red Cross.

A native of Franklin Township, NJ and with a top ten song on the Canadian Billboard charts, Crossley was very happy to support Red Cross House in his hometown’s backyard.

More than 1,200 guests attended the 11th annual Red Ball, hosted by the American Red Cross Southeastern Pennsylvania Chapter at Philadelphia’s Please Touch Museum. All proceeds benefited Red Cross House, a facility to provide shelter for families displaced by disasters.

The acclaimed singer and songwriter said the coolest thing he found in Red Cross House was a program called Therapy through Music and Art. “When children are going through trauma or when things on their minds are hard to express, music is the key.” Drawing on his personal experience, he said he was grateful that he had music to express himself as a youngster.

Now living and working in Toronto, Canada, Crossley said the most exciting thing for him was not about owning huge houses or fancy cars, but being able to give back to others—family, friends, and the community.

Adam Crossley with a fan at the Red Ball in Philadelphia. (Pamela Tsai/The Epoch Times)

Crossley’s breakout hit, “Beautiful World,” became the number one Christmas song in America for three weeks in a row in 2009.

When asked about his songwriting process for that soulful and poetic hit, he said, “I just wanted people to feel hopeful about the world.

“I tend to write on emotions. I haven’t had the hardest of lives but I am very observant,” he said.

The therapy through music seems traceable to the influence of his parents. Born to a musician father and psychologist mother, Crossley is gifted with the ability to play music and empathize with other people’s feelings.

He started playing piano and writing songs at the age of 7. “Ever since I was young, I wanted to play music and do it as a living.

When asked what would be his next step in his music career, he said, “I don’t know. I just want to be open.” His next success might well be like how “Beautiful World” arrived—it was spontaneous and unplanned.

“When I penned the first line ‘Strawberry lips shining in the summer sun,’ the rest just came through.”