After leaving the Searchers, Curtis recorded one solo song, a cover version of the Walker Brothers's "(Baby) You Don't Have to Tell Me".

Later on in life, Chris worked as a civil servant, retiring early due to poor health.

[9] Just before his death, he appeared weekly with live musicians for the Merseycats charity at the Marconi club in Huyton.

[2][10] After not answering phone calls for a few days, his sister discovered him dead in his flat in Aintree on 28 February 2005 at the age of 63.

[11] Many of his online obituaries incorrectly credit Curtis to be the brainchild behind "Let's Go To San Francisco" by The Flower Pot Men, when it was really a creation by John Carter.