It’s truly been a “Long and Winding Road” to get to where James Craft is today as a musician.

Raised on A.M. radio of the 60’s, 70’s, and 80’s as a country-boy in Southwest Idaho, James developed a deep love for all types of music.  People recognized his talent as a singer from a very young age. His aunt taught him to play the guitar and shared the songs of the greats in Country, Pop, Rock and Folk music.  He soon discovered that he had a strong and versatile voice that could move easily between styles.  He performed in the typical high school rock bands and pursued opportunities to sing whenever and wherever they would arise.  His journey took an unexpected turn when he caught the ear of his high school choir director who encouraged him to get the best training possible -as a classically-trained singer.  

He packed everything he owned into two steamer trunks and found himself on the New Jersey Turnpike and enrolled at Princeton’s Westminster Choir College where he received a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education. While at Westminster, James studied and performed with some of the world’s premier teachers, orchestras, and conductors, including the New York Philharmonic, Vienna Philharmonic, Philadelphia Orchestra, Ricardo Muti, Leonard Slatkin, and the legendary Leonard Bernstein. James planted roots in New Jersey and worked as a soloist and section leader with many organizations throughout the Tri-State area, performing the great works of Mozart, Bach, Handel, and more.  

After college, (and while appearing in musicals, cabaret-style acts, various rock bands and duos in New Jersey and Pennsylvania), James began a career as the choral director and technical director at Sayreville War Memorial High School.  There, he spent the next 30 years teaching vocal music to thousands of students, musically and/or technically directing over fifty musicals, plays and other stage productions.  While at SWMHS, he was named Teacher of the Year three times, created a student record label, recording studio and one of the only high school music business courses in the U.S. 

After retiring from public education,  James found the road of his musical journey “led him back” to the songs of his childhood. Today, James (or Crafty as he is often called), takes audiences on a nostalgic trip through the great songs of 50’s, 60’s, and 70’s pop, rock and country music.  Performing music from the Everly Brothers, Merle Haggard, Simon and Garfunkel, Cat Stevens, The Beatles and more, he shares the stories behind the songs and stories of the decades that helped shape them.

Additionally, he continues to teach others by documenting his process as a DIY musician and inspiring others to start their own performance careers through his blog, Crafty: Act Two and his website musicbycraft.com.