Craig Sinclair combines crisp fingerstyle slide guitar playing with soulful vocals and contemporary original folk-blues songwriting to craft a unique style that draws on many rich traditions, but in the end answers to itself.
“A consummate live performer” (Peter Barr, RTR FM 92.1), Craig has quickly progressed to shows at major venues and events including Fremantle Arts Centre, Araluen Folk Festival, Bridgetown Blues Festival, Wignalls Vintage Blues Festival, Fairbridge Folk Festival (2007, 2008) and Yungaburra Folk Festival (Qld). An east coast tour in January 2007 saw him perform between Melbourne and Byron Bay, at some of Australia’s proudest original music venues. Bookings have been made for the 2008 Bridgetown Blues Festival and 2008 Denmark Festival of Voice.
The debut solo album, “Stones Beneath The Surface”, was released in May 2006 and launched in front of his home crowd in Fremantle to a packed house at Mojo's Music Bar. Since then it has received spot play on Triple J and ABC National radio, been featured on RTR FM as well as receiving extensive airplay on community radio stations around Australia. The song Downstream Blues was recently awarded "Best Blues Song" in the 2006 WA Folk Federation songwriting competition.
This release was followed up with a live album of new original material entitled “Barefoot Ballads” in December 2007. Recorded in an art gallery just a stone’s throw from the Indian Ocean in Fremantle, this album captures an artist in his element as a solo performer. The song Rusting Armour was a finalist in the 2007 WAM Song of the Year (folk/world category) while the song Lara Clare was awarded first prize in the 2007 WAM Song of the Year (blues/roots category). This album has already been picked up by the ABC and early press reviews have been glowing in their praise: “a quite exceptional recording by a wonderful artist” (Drum Media Perth).
"an impressive debut album" (The Fremantle Herald)
"a talented local singer and guitarist with some fascinating lyrics and wonderful melodies... returns to popular acclaim" (Mundaring Folk & Blues Club)
"a guitar virtuoso" (Eric Bogle)
"it's refreshing to see something this honest and individual in the modern day blues and roots genre" (Mike Elrington)
"A wonderful, tranquil cd ... Craig's slide gives me goosebumps and cold shivers, a sign for me that this is the best" (Ron Bervoets, Rootstime Radio, Belgium)
"Stones Beneath the Surface, Craig Sinclair’s debut solo album, is a left-handed, bluesy tour through the mind of a very talented guitarist and songsmith. It opens with some beautiful guitar picking, which sets the mood for the whole album and describes Craig’s art perfectly; modest, restrained and soulful." (Cran Herlihy, KCR 102.5 FM)
Download pdf version of bio: www.craigsinclair.com.au/Craig_Sinclair_Bio.pdf
Kelly Joe Phelps, Richard Thompson, Jeff Lang, Gillian Welch, Dire Straits, Mississippi John Hurt, Chris Smither, Kavisha Mazzella
Ellis acoustic guitar with K&K and Sunrise pickups through a K&K blender. Lots of alternate tunings and as many interesting chords as I can find. Home made stomp box sometimes.