Craig Smith Music
Craig Smith: Biography
About Craig
Craig is an experienced and multi-skilled professional musician based in Preston, Lancashire. His primary instruments are piano and keyboards (synths, workstations, Hammond organ etc). He also plays rhythm guitar, Latin percussion and bass, and sings backing vocals.
In recent years, Craig has become firmly established as one of - if not the - most sought-after event and wedding pianists in the UK. He is recommended by venues up and down the country and is available for destination work too. He is available as a soloist, but also has a number of other musicians he teams up with on vocals, sax and strings, dependent on the needs of the client.
Working freelance in many musical disciplines, Craig is available as a live musician; a studio recording session musician; a theatre and film composer/arranger; and a live touring band and theatre musical director. He has toured extensively throughout the UK and much of Europe.
Craig is 38, husband to Lauren, a proud dad to three boys (with another on the way!), and enjoys nothing more than getting creative in the kitchen: "when music is your life, you need something else to help you unwind!"
Please read more about his career to date and projects past and present below:
Early Years
Craig was born in Preston in 1986 and took up keyboard and piano lessons aged eleven at the local branch of the Technics Music Academy (TMA) at A&C Hamilton Musical Instruments. He sped to grade 5 piano and music theory within three years and was a winner two years running in the Technics Music Festival, where he discovered sequencing and programming. He played his first professional wedding booking during his final year at Archbishop Temple High School.
Craig studied Music Technology at Preston College, where he was introduced to musical direction. At this time, and by now playing beyond grade 8 standard, Craig was offered a job teaching piano and keyboards and took his first residency at a classy city centre restaurant, quickly establishing himself as a professional musician alongside his studies.
Top Class Training
It was musical direction that in 2004 won Craig a place at The Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts (LIPA), one of the world's premier performing arts institutions, co-founded by Sir Paul McCartney (from whom Craig received his degree three years later).
During his first year as a musical director on LIPA's Performing Arts Music degree, Craig developed a passion for both popular music performance and production, and discovered his potential as a composer/arranger.
He transferred to LIPA's Music degree for his final two years, during which he worked with several acts and bands as musical director or performing on piano, keyboards and percussion; he was commissioned as a composer scoring a musical to celebrate Liverpool's 8th Centenary; and produced records for various singers and bands, with some of this work now available world-wide.
Whilst at LIPA, Craig met many of the top class session musicians he now employs on various projects.
Life as a Full-Time Pro
After graduating from LIPA, Craig forged a successful career as an instrumental tutor, building the North West's largest mobile music academy.
Alongside the music school, Craig developed a fantastic reputation as a full-time professional musician, eventually relinquishing control of the academyto focus on live performance and musical direction. He is currently working as arranger and band leader on Contempo Productions Ltd's The Vintage Boys Rock 'n' Roll Show UK Tour among other projects.
Craig is available for composition and arranging commissions - working with local, national and international production companies - and has made various media appearances, either performing or discussing the music and wedding industries.
He has worked alongside a wide variety of artists, including Paloma Faith, Pixie Lott, Andy Abrahams, Tinchy Stryder, Bastille, Guillemots, Spin Doctors, The Noisettes and more. Craig's most notable studio recording session saw him recording keyboard parts for Bryan Adams.
Craig continues to play at private functions as a wedding pianist and at parties across the country.
Current Projects
IndieFly
As a part of his wedding and events offering, Craig plays with and co-manages IndieFly, the party covers band for indie kids and rockers.
Over the last couple of years, there has been a huge increase in the number of indie and rock requests Craig has had for solo piano, so it was decided to relaunch the band to provide an evening reception option packed full of fun, dancey indie and rock.
The band usually performs two sets at weddings, parties and corporate events and is currently available throughout the UK with space for bookings from late spring 2022 onwards.
A five piece band with lighting, IndieFly play all the best known feel-good songs so your guests will enjoy the selection of music regardless of age and taste, and it's all upbeat: perfect for a good old boogie!
The band's rock and indie covers for weddings and events include mainly songs by bands and artists from the 90s to now, such as:
- Avril Lavigne
- Blink-182
- Blossoms
- Blur
- James
- Kaiser Chiefs
- The Killers
- Kings of Leon
- The Kooks
- Oasis
- Pulp
- Steroephonics
- The Stokes
- Supergrass
- Wheatus
Acoustics by Kate
Craig is the regular accompanist to one of the North West's most distinctive singers, Kate Torevell, on her Acoustics by Kate project. The project usually consists of piano/vocal live lounge style covers, but accommodates guitar-based gigs too.
Kate also studied a degree at LIPA, hers being in Music, Theatre and Entertainments Management. She now sings throughout the North West and beyond. Like Craig, Kate is wedding and event entertainment specialist and also occasionally gigs at restaurants, bars and pubs. She has quickly become one of the most popular wedding singers in the region over the past few years.
The set list includes songs by modern artists like Ed Sheeran, John Legend, James Bay and George Ezra, through to ultimate classic favourites by singers such as Ben E King, Artetha Franklyn, Blondie and Bryan Adams.
Kate has a soulful voice, uniquely suited to adapting traditionally male songs into unique acoustic cover versions, and her performances and vocals have been described as awesome, amazing and sublime!
Kate recently took a hiatus to give birth to her first child, but the duo is now taking bookings for 2021 onwards.
The Vintage Boys
Craig is currently touring dates as musical director / band leader on Contempo Productions Ltd's The Vintage Boys Rock 'n' Roll Show.
With immaculate 3-part harmony, slick choreography, sharp suits and the backing of an incredible live band, the boys perfectly capture the look and sound of the golden era and will have you singing along and dancing in the aisles with their high-energy performance.
Featuring over 40 hits from stars of the 50s and 60s including Chuck Berry, Eddie Cochran, Del Shannon, Bill Haley, Dion, The Everley Brothers, Buddy Holly, The Beatles, Elvis Presley, and many more!
Craig plays piano, organ and guitar on the show (sometimes within the same song!), and is also responsible for the musical arrangements.
2022 dates to be announced soon!
Chris & Craig: Violin/Piano
Craig works regularly with Chris Demetriou within a high-end duo of piano and violin for weddings, events, restaurants etc., "Chris & Craig".
Chris' CV includes work for/with Trevor Horn, Seal, Counting Crows, The Corrs and many more. He's one of the top session violinists in the country.
Together, they specialise in arrangements of popular pop, soul and rock covers, with classical and jazz/swing repertoire thrown into the mix too, and pride themselves on their musical versatility.
Recent client requests have included songs as diverse as Can You Feel the Love Tonight by Elton John, November Rain by Guns 'n' Roses, Sky Full of Stars by Coldplay, Halo by Beyonce, My Girl by The Temptations and We Go Together from Grease!.
For more information and prices, please get in touch.
Jessicas Ghost
Craig has played regularly with Jessica's Ghost since 2012, making a five-piece folk-rock originals and classic covers band, popular on the festivals scene, live music scene and at private parties and corporate functions. The band formed all the way back in 2005 and is still going strong!
Their last original album, 'Losing Track of Time' was released in 2012 to rave reviews and regular radio play, and is available on iTunes, Spotify and other outlets, as well as on CD.
As well as their original songs, Jessicas Ghost are famed for their distinctive takes on classic rock and soul tracks by artists such as The Eagles, Bruce Springsteen, The Doobie Brothers and modern acts like Paloma Faith, Kings of Leon and Maroon 5.
The line up up of two guitarists (electric and acoustic), drums, bass, and Craig on keys enables an extremely versatile range of covers, which, combined with energetic performances and skilled musicianship, adds up to a live show not to be missed.
This has led to invitations to open for a plethora of household names at live music events and festivals. See www.jessicasghost.co.uk for more details.
Opera Boys
Before moving to The Vintage Boys, Craig had toured on and off as musical director for the UK tour of classical crossover show Opera Boys since 2015.
The UK's answer to Il Divo, the show is primarily a cruise ship entertainment show, placed regularly on P&O and Cunard liners. It features four of the country's top classically trained tenors including West End leading men, with vocal harmonies that must be heard to be believed, performing opera and pop hits from Nessum Dorma to Oh What a Night. There is also plenty of comedy mixed in for good measure! It's still well worth a visit for a night of fun, music and laughter.
As well as MD'ing the Opera Boys show, Craig has contributed to Contempo Productions' projects by arranging band parts, recording backing tracks, and writing vocal arrangements in the pre-production phases, most recently for a project adapting modern hits into blues and jazz styles.
See www.operaboys.com for their forthcoming tour dates and cruises.
Soundsmiths Promotions Ltd
Craig is a director of Soundsmiths Promotions Ltd, a North West based production company that produces musical theatre and live music events, and promotes session musicians.
Depending on the project, Craig will either work in a performance role, usually as musical director, or in a creative production capacity: musical supervisor, or overseeing design, creation and rehearsal of the production.
The company enjoys a close relationship with many top session musicians all based in the North West on keys, vocals, guitar, bass, drums, horns and strings, who are regularly contracted on Soundsmiths Promomotions Ltd projects, be they tours or one off events.
Previous theatre tour concepts have included the Gary Barlow Live Tribute show and Adelation, a night of Adele's hits.
Simply70s: Ultimate Classic Rock, was produced to tour theatres throughout the UK. The show was a high octane gig packed full of the the best, most recogniseable, 70s classic rock anthems from bands and artists including Pink Floyd, Fleetwood Mac, Meat Loaf, Led Zep, The Who and more.
Craig's role on the production was principally an executive one: as a co-producer, he worked as creative director and musical supervisor, also responsible for overseeing set and lighting design. He also recruited most of the musicians and singers, who had performed with some top household names including Phil X, Bryan Adams and The Osmonds.
Craig performed the keyboards and backing vocals on the show's 2015 promotional material, which contained Bat out of Hell, Bohemian Rhapsody, Walk this Way and School's Out.