Craig Smith - Keyboards
Craig was born in Preston into a totally non-musical family but took up piano at the age of ten at Technics Music Academy. 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. Aged 17, and still studying Music Technology at Preston College, Craig was offered a job teaching at A&C Hamilton's Music School. In 2004 Craig won a coveted place at LIPA, one of the country's top performing arts institutions co-founded by Sir Paul McCartney, from whom Craig received his degree three years later. While at LIPA saw Craig developed a passion for popular music performance and production, playing keys with funky electro-pop outfit My Friend Julius and Merseyside R&B/electro diva Katie Miller. He also worked as musical director and keyboard player for MBF Songwriter of the Year 2007, R&B act Hannah-Rei. Now playing with 110th Street and running his busy music tuition business, Craig lists a few of his many influences old and new as Jamiroquai, Nikka Costa, Sergio Mendes, James Brown and Stevie Wonder.