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VIEW OF THE DAY - CRAIG NELSON by Dave Cleveland
Greetings once again from VOTD! Hope ninth grade, I bought my first electric
all is well in your world. I feel absolutely bass and joined the Musician’s Union.
compelled to do this next interview with The combination led to playing more
my long time friend and musical buddy, contemporary music. I upgraded to a
Craig Nelson. After you have read this Fender Precision fretless in 1973, which I
article, take a minute and Google Craig continued to use until moving to Nashville,
on All Music Guide. You will see a fraction five years later.
of work that he has amassed over the
last 40 years. I tell people all the time
[Dave] How did you end up in Nashville?
that Craig is one of the most recorded
bass players in the history of music. You [Craig]
could call Craig for any session and he University of Michigan in Ann Arbor,
will show up and play like that is the only earning a Classical Performance degree on
style he plays. For example: You call him Double Bass, a friend suggested that I try
one day for a pop rock project, Bam! out for a college summer program offered
Perfect! The next day you could put him by Disney. I did and chose Disneyland in
in a swinging big band project... same California, because of its proximity to LA.
result! Perfection! Also throw in the fact While I was there I did my first recording
that he can literally read any music you
put in front of him and you have got the recipe
for one of the greatest bassist of our time. Craig
always encourages me. He walks in humility
and is the consummate professional. Please
take time and check out Craig Nelson’s work!
He is one of the unsung heroes of our time. I
had time to catch up with Craig at Ocean Way
Studios in Nashville. Enjoy!
[Dave] What were your musical beginnings?
[Craig] My father took me to a music store
when I was around six years old and told me
that I could study any instrument I wanted. It
happened to be a Gibson/Fender guitar store,
so I liked the looks of those Gibson acoustics,
so that’s what I chose. My teacher was a jazz
player and for the next six years he gave me
a weekly lesson. Each lesson included reading
some sort of music notation.
[Dave] So you were learning to read music
from day one?
[Craig] Yes. I was taught a standard variety of
38
jazz and popular styles. It was the early 1960’s,
so there was a natural interest to learn as much
While I was attending the
sessions, which were for Disney. We
worked with some veteran studio players who
as I could musically. recommended that, since I also played double
[Dave] How did you wind up starting to heard in the industry that Nashville was a big
bass, I should consider being a studio player. I
play bass? recording town. When I went back to college
[Craig] As a Junior High student entering a Theme Park came to campus to audition
for my senior year, the relatively new Opryland
music program, I had a choice of all the band
and orchestra instruments. Again, taking a
suggestion from my dad, I considered the string
bass, so I signed up for orchestra. I waited for
the director to ask if there was anyone who
wanted to try the string bass and I raised my
hand. I took to it immediately!
players for the upcoming summer. I was
accepted and moved to Nashville right after
graduating, to work at the park.
[Dave] How did you get going in the
recording industry?
[Craig] Through players that I worked with
[Dave] How did you develop musically
at the park and on other gigs I started getting
from there? recommended to play on jingles and for some
[Craig] In addition to the school orchestra, joining the Nashville Symphony that fall, the
TV specials from the Grand Ole Opry. After
I started taking lessons on the double bass
from the Principal Bassist of the Erie (PA)
Philharmonic, through the end of high school.
I really enjoyed classical music. Along the
way I learned jazz by playing in both school,
community jazz bands and playing gigs. In
Mar Apr 2017
door opened up to play in Shelley Kurland’s
string section, which did all the recording work
in town. It was a big break for me because of the
significant increase in work. Around that same
time, someone recommended me to play on
some sessions for a younger gospel arranger,
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