He has sold over 16 million records worldwide and recorded nine US Billboard Top 40 hits. In Canada, 30 of Hart's recordings have been Top 40 hits, including 11 in the Top 10, over the course of over 35 years in the music industry. His paternal grandfather was a Ukrainian Jewish immigrant, while Corey's mother was from a Romanian Jewish family.
Hart then lived with his mother and older brother Robbie in Montreal. He had an especially close relationship with his mother, to whom his first album First Offense was dedicated. Hart's first experience as a performing artist came at age 11 when he sang " Ben " for Tom Jones in Miami. He also recorded songs with Paul Anka in Las Vegas during this time period. Joel's backup band contacted him and Hart ended up recording several demos with them in Long Island, New York.
Hart worked with several other Canadian studio musicians on demos before finally signing to the Aquarius Records label in at the age of Several songs on his first album, including "The World Is Fire", reflect the rejections and difficulties Hart encountered along the path to getting a recording contract. The album went gold in the United States and quadruple platinum in Canada.
First Offense initially received a modest response upon its Canadian release. It was only after garnering US success in the summer of that he became well-known in his native Canada. Jon Astley, producer felt there was one song Eric Clapton would really like. So just out of the blue he sent him the song, and lo and behold Eric Clapton was on the phone saying he wanted to play on it and asking how I would mind if he did.
I didn't. Eric was the classic gentleman. Here I was, this Canadian kid in England with big-time producers doing my first album and Clapton tells me, 'It's such a pretty song, so easy to play.
