Craig Campbell

Craig Campbell Biography by Steve Leggett Playing a traditional side of contemporary country, singer, songwriter, pianist, and Georgia native Craig Campbell is blessed with a deep, expressive voice, an awareness of the genre's history, and a no-gimmicks approach to performance that brings out the sincerity in his songs. In the early 2000s he met singer Mindy Ellis; they fell in love and were married. Campbell began playing piano with her band in the studio and on the road. Keith Stegall caught Campbell live at The Stage in 2008 and the young singer was soon signed to Bigger Picture, which released his debut single, "Family Man," in 2010, and an eponymously titled album in 2011. Never Regret, his sophomore long-player, appeared in 2013. Three years later Campbell cut a deal with ABC Music, which re-released Never Regret in an expanded two-disc edition. In 2018 he released the See You Try EP, along with the single "Outskirts of Heaven." Campbell cut more than 15 singles between 2019 and 2024. In August 2024, he released the seven-track compilation Almost Greatest Hits that featured six of his charting singles and the bonus cut "Sadder Day." Born in Lyons, Georgia, Campbell played piano at his mother's Baptist church from the age of ten until he was 18. While his home was filled with the sound of gospel, he also fell under the spell of country music, particularly Travis Tritt, whose rootsy country-gospel-fueled delivery was particularly suited to Campbell's own vocal style. As a teenager, he formed the band Out of the Blue and began playing the bar circuit, learning how put together a set, perform, and capture an audience. In 2002, he relocated to Nashville, quickly immersing himself in the music scene there. He landed a steady gig at The Stage, one of the biggest clubs then on historic Lower Broadway. He also cut demo sessions for other singers. Fellow Georgian Luke Bryan suggested Campbell try his hand at writing songs, and in time he mastered the craft, honing his original material at gigs. He met another singer, Mindy Ellis, fell in love, and the pair married; he began playing piano in her band, that led in turn to a touring stint with Tracy Byrd. Keith Stegall caught one of Campbell's performances at The Stage in 2008 and the young singer was soon signed to Bigger Picture. The label released his debut single, "Family Man," in 2010, and followed it with an eponymous full-length album in 2011. "Family Man" peaked at number 12 on the Country Singles chart, and two more singles taken from the album, "Fish" and "When I Get There," also made the Country Top 40. Campbell maintained a hectic touring schedule, and in May 2013 Bigger Picture released his second album, Never Regret. Two singles from the album made the Country Singles chart, "Outta My Head" (number 25) and "Keep Them Kisses Comin'" (number 15). In May 2014, Campbell got the bad news that Bigger Picture was going out of business. Since he was known as Bigger Picture's best-selling artist with a solid chart history, other labels soon came calling, and in December 2014 he announced he'd signed a new deal with Red Bow Records. May 2015 saw Campbell release his debut for the label, the single "Tomorrow Tonight." A second single, "Outskirts of Heaven," arrived a year later and peaked at 24 on the Hot Country Songs chart. In 2018 Campbell convinced ABC Music to re-release Never Regret as a double-disc with his 2011 debut added to the package. The singer issued singles and videos over the next several years, including "Never Mine" in 2021. In 2024, via Grindstone Recordings (a label Campbell and Mindy co-own and operate), Campbell released Almost Greatest Hits. The mini-album collected six charting singles dating back to "Family Man." As a bonus track, he included the previously unreleased "Sadder Day." Campbell selected it because it reminded him of the sound and feel of his debut album.