I have many, many influences and have grown up lucky enough to be exposed to many different amazing artists. A few of them are...
Bruce Springsteen,
Melissa Etheridge,
Johnny Cash,
Willie Nelson,
Elvis,
Bon Jovi,
Aerosmith,
Indigo Girls,
Bob Seger,
Sam Cooke,
Otis Redding,
Aretha Franklin,
Tina Turner,
Keith Urban,
Nickel Creek,
Allison Krauss and Union Station,
Ryan Adams,
Ralston Boyle,
Michelle Citrin,
Sounds Like
Tyler Hitlon, Tyler Summers, Matt Hinkley, Abe Quigley, Steven Lee Olsen, Ryan Laird, Michelle Citrin, Kari Kimmel, Matt White, Josephine, Colin Haye, Keith Urban, Toby Lightman, Lucy Woodward, Melissa Etheridge
"Living life the way you dreamed it could be." This is at the heart and soul of Craig Wilson's music. Craig's musical journey began almost at birth in a small town outside of Detroit. Craig recalls his weekends as…"following my parents around to art shows, and while they sold their art I would sit behind the tent and write songs." These songs were soon put to the test thanks to his older brother who got him a weekly gig at a Detroit bar. "I remember my first time playing live in front of a real bar crowd. I got boo'd! They were used to listening to Springsteen and Bob Seger coming through the jukebox, not some teenage kid with a guitar. The bartender handed me fifty bucks after my set and said "it's okay if you don't want to come back." But with a stubborn streak that Craig carries to this day, he did go back. The next week Craig went back to that Detroit bar and found the passion and energy that was missing...and so did everyone else at the bar that night. With a rafter shaking version of James Taylor's Steamroller Craig brought the house down at the end of his set. He had found his voice, and he made sure everyone within a twelve block radius knew it. From that evening on Craig played to a packed house every week and started getting requests to play his own material.
From those humble beginnings in Detroit, Craig's prowess as a master songwriter has expanded into music production and collaboration with a plethora of artists and writers from the U. S. and abroad. Craig has toured nationally playing some of the country's best venues like the legendary CBGB's, and Irving Plaza in New York City, The Viper Room and The Gig in Los Angeles, and a sold out show for 2000 people at MGM's Theatre of the Stars in Orlando, Florida. He has appeared alongside Cyndi Lauper, Tyler Hilton, and Howie Day. Craig’s first e.p. garnered him radio airplay, TV placement, and rave reviews.
"Solo artist Craig Wilson has one of those timeless voices that is good for any decade, and compliments any pop assortment from acoustic to rock. Craig Wilson's songwriting and singing has the making of mainstay artists like Richard Marx and Melissa Etheridge." - Susan Francis- Northeast InTune Magazine.
Currently Craig is recording in New York City and Nashville,Tennessee. Craig has been working with some of the the best in the business to record these new songs. Robert L. Smith, veteran producer/engineer and head of Defy Records has worked with Michael Jackson, Aerosmith, Bon Jovi, songwriter Jo Davidson co-producing and playing keys, Winston Roye on bass (Lauren Hill, Jewel, Patti Smyth), David Patterson on guitar (Shawn Mullins, Indigo Girls), Peter Calo on banjo, mandolin and dobro (Carly Simon, Willie Nelson), Lisa Cochrane on background vocals (Carrie Underwood, Faith Hill) and drummer Steve Hass (John Scofield, Billy Joel).
Congrats on the honorable mentions for your TWO songs in the New York Songwriters Circle competition, and here's hoping you and Ali win for "Rewind"!!!
to submit your music for our On The Grind Mixtape Vol. 7. We'll be distributin 2,500 Copies for The BET Hip Hop Awards and another 2,500 for the Atlanta Football Classic.
Our magazine has alot of other programs going on as well. We Book independent artists forPAID SHOWS, Hand deliver your music to 1,000 DJs/Label Execs, and help artists make money without a label. If you want to get more informaiton on any of these things go to www.MakinItMag.com/mail and signup for a FREE subscription.
Thank you very much for da Link Up & Sharing the Music
Nice to meet you through cyberlink!
Keep up da Great Work!
Wishes you All da Best in 2009!
Enjoy your Weekend
Hey Craig!!! :) Whats up ???? lol yes, when you got time to come over come to see me ok !!!i miss my NYC anyway hope ill be 'round soon hee hee!!! well, im doing good and tell me how things are growing about you, your songs are so sweety cool really!!! ill catch you later, take care and rock it up !! rock it up STEPHY BISOUS LOL
