BIO

     Born in Canonsburg, PA., Craig grew up in Ft. Wayne IN. He began playing trumpet at age 10. After graduating from North Side HS he spent four  years at the University of North Texas from 1985-89 and played lead trumpet in the UNT One O’clock Lab Band the final two years at North Texas, as well as being chosen as lead player for the 1987 Disney All-American College Orchestra at EPCOT Center. During this valuable time at UNT, he studied privately with the great Don “Jake” Jacoby for four years. In 1987 he also began many years of study with trumpet guru Bobby Shew. 

      In the fall of 1989 Craig was part of the first version of Maynard Ferguson’s Big Bop Nouveau Band and spent 2 and a half years as Maynard’s lead player. Following a move to New York in 1993, he did some touring with Jerry Lewis and 2 years with iconic band Blood Sweat & Tears. In the years since he has been in demand as a sideman  in the pits and studios, working or recording with artists such as Patti Austin, Aretha Franklin, John Pizzarelli, Woody Herman Orchestra, John Fedchock NY Big Band, Westchester Jazz Orchestra , New York Voices, Chuck Mangione, Audra MacDonald, Debby Boone, Ann Hampton Callaway, Michael Feinstein, Dame Edna, Frankie Valli, Bobby Caldwell, Paul Anka, Chico O’Farrill Afro Cuban Orch., Maria Schneider Jazz Orch., The Temptations, Cheap Trick, Deep Purple, CTA and many others.
    Over twenty years of work on Broadway has featured 13 full time Broadway shows including lead trumpet on Something Rotten, Sister Act, Rocky, Elf, Monty Python’s Spamalot, Thoroughly Modern Millie, and Fosse.     

Maynard Ferguson (Touring 1989-92)

New York Voices 

The Manhattan Transfer

Woody Herman Orchestra 

Maria Schneider Orchestra 

Chuck Mangione 

Chico O’Farrill Orchestra 

Buddy Rich Band 

Louie Bellson Big Band 

Dizzy Gillespie 

Al Hirt 

Dallas Jazz Orchestra (1987-89)

UNT One O’Clock Lab Band (1987-98)

John Fedchock NYBB (1994-present)

Westchester Jazz Orchestra  

(2005-2016)

Gotham Jazz Orchestra (2004-2015)

Gene Krupa Orchestra (2004-present)

                  Singers and Entertainers                                                                                                                                  

Jerry Lewis (Touring 1993-94)
Patti Austin
John Pizzarelli
Bobby Caldwell
Debby Boone
Audra McDonald
Rosemary Clooney
Maureen McGovern

Ann Hampton Callaway
Paul Anka
Jack Jones
Harry Connick, Jr.
Michael Feinstein
Dame Edna
Phil Collins
Van Morrison
Frank Sinatra, Jr.
Don Rickles
Donny Osmond
Steve Lawrence & Eyde Gorme