Biography
INTRODUCTION
In the late '80s and '90s, musician and songwriter Craig Hughes paid his dues playing in alternative rock
bands, while at the same time developing his acoustic blues chops as a street musician. Lots of miserable,
cold, wet busking from Glasgow through Central Scotland to the Edinburgh Festival and back.
The success of a couple of solo alt.blues/roots gigs in 2005 led to a support slot with Tony McPhee of The
Groundhogs and the opportunity to record a demo EP in Dublin. The demo was well received and led to gigs
in the USA as well as at venues and Americana promotions across Scotland. Over the last couple of years,
Craig has shared the stage with many of the leading names in alt.blues and roots music from the UK and
around the world, including Dave Arcari (Scotland), Black River Bluesman & The Croaking Lizard (Finland)
and James Apollo (USA).
In 2008 Craig began hosting That Devil Music, a monthly alt.blues/roots gig in Glasgow. As of the second
half of 2010, That Devil Music is concentrating on larger-scale individual promotions with the possibility
of staging a festival in 2011. Craig's festival appearances to date include Bloom'N'Blues, Altus, Arkansas
U.S.A.(2006, 2007, 2010), the Oxjam Ashton Lane Folk Festival, Glasgow 2007, The Glasgow Jazz Festival
(Blues On The River) 2009/2010, Record Store Day 2010 (Stirling) and this year's inaugural Fest For A Fiver
in Glasgow.
Craig has received generous support from local radio in Scotland and online. In May 2009 he performed live
in the studio and was interviewed for The Switchback on Sunny Govan FM in Glasgow and again in December for
Celtic Music Radio. In March 2010 a live concert in Paisley was recorded and broadcast by Celtic Music
Radio, with a further live session for The Switchback broadcast in June.
Share, which was listed by Canada's Blues Underground Network as British Blues Album Of The Year 2009, and
placed at number 6 in their overall Top 25 Albums Of The Year. In addition, the album has picked up
excellent reviews from UK national music press (Guitar & Bass Magazine, Blues Matters!), music websites such
as Loud Horizon, Blues In The Northwest and Still Gigging, and French website Paris-Move.
Other releases: the single Hope It Makes You Happy/Blues Like A Hammer and the EP Broke, Lonely And Guilty.
All releases are on Channel Nowhere.
Since 2006, Craig has provided original music for several short films and video projects, most recently for
the feature film, Stix and Stanes, which was Scottish BAFTA nominated for writer/director Joe McArdle.
bands, while at the same time developing his acoustic blues chops as a street musician. Lots of miserable,
cold, wet busking from Glasgow through Central Scotland to the Edinburgh Festival and back.
LIVE
The success of a couple of solo alt.blues/roots gigs in 2005 led to a support slot with Tony McPhee of The
Groundhogs and the opportunity to record a demo EP in Dublin. The demo was well received and led to gigs
in the USA as well as at venues and Americana promotions across Scotland. Over the last couple of years,
Craig has shared the stage with many of the leading names in alt.blues and roots music from the UK and
around the world, including Dave Arcari (Scotland), Black River Bluesman & The Croaking Lizard (Finland)
and James Apollo (USA).
In 2008 Craig began hosting That Devil Music, a monthly alt.blues/roots gig in Glasgow. As of the second
half of 2010, That Devil Music is concentrating on larger-scale individual promotions with the possibility
of staging a festival in 2011. Craig's festival appearances to date include Bloom'N'Blues, Altus, Arkansas
U.S.A.(2006, 2007, 2010), the Oxjam Ashton Lane Folk Festival, Glasgow 2007, The Glasgow Jazz Festival
(Blues On The River) 2009/2010, Record Store Day 2010 (Stirling) and this year's inaugural Fest For A Fiver
in Glasgow.
Craig has received generous support from local radio in Scotland and online. In May 2009 he performed live
in the studio and was interviewed for The Switchback on Sunny Govan FM in Glasgow and again in December for
Celtic Music Radio. In March 2010 a live concert in Paisley was recorded and broadcast by Celtic Music
Radio, with a further live session for The Switchback broadcast in June.
RECORDINGS
Craig's debut album (recorded at Glasgow's Audio Experiments studio) is Pissed Off, Bitter And Willing ToShare, which was listed by Canada's Blues Underground Network as British Blues Album Of The Year 2009, and
placed at number 6 in their overall Top 25 Albums Of The Year. In addition, the album has picked up
excellent reviews from UK national music press (Guitar & Bass Magazine, Blues Matters!), music websites such
as Loud Horizon, Blues In The Northwest and Still Gigging, and French website Paris-Move.
Other releases: the single Hope It Makes You Happy/Blues Like A Hammer and the EP Broke, Lonely And Guilty.
All releases are on Channel Nowhere.
Since 2006, Craig has provided original music for several short films and video projects, most recently for
the feature film, Stix and Stanes, which was Scottish BAFTA nominated for writer/director Joe McArdle.
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