Biography
John Craigie is an American singer-songwriter and storyteller known for his witty, narrative-driven folk songs and engaging live performances. Born and raised in Los Angeles, California, he grew up in Southern California’s laid‑back environment, learning guitar from a friend in high school and discovering that he could write and perform his own songs.[3][4][8] He later studied mathematics at the University of California, Santa Cruz, where the supportive campus culture, local music scene, and eclectic radio station KPIG-FM deepened his interest in folk, blues, rock, and Americana and helped him gain confidence as a writer and performer.[3][4] While at UCSC he played in a jam band called Pond Rock with friends, performing at house parties and campus events, and began blending poetry and song in his work.[3]
After graduating with a degree in mathematics, Craigie worked at UC Santa Cruz and then taught math at Watsonville High School until he had saved enough to buy a van and embark on a solo touring life, playing coffee shops and bars around the United States.[3] He gradually built a career as a modern-day troubadour, touring extensively across all 50 U.S. states and internationally, and releasing a prolific catalog of studio, live, and cover albums on his own independent label.[1][3] In 2015 he settled in Portland, Oregon, drawn by its thriving music community and creative scene, and recorded the warmly received album “No Rain, No Rose” in the old Victorian house he calls home, emphasizing community and collaboration.[1][4] His later work includes the 2024 album “Pagan Church,” recorded with members of TK & The Holy Know-Nothings, and Beatles tribute “Beatles Lonely” performances of “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” and “Abbey Road” recorded live for special vinyl releases.[2][3]
Craigie’s musical style sits in the folk and Americana tradition, often compared to artists like John Prine, Woody Guthrie, Arlo Guthrie, and Todd Snider for his blend of simple, acoustic instrumentation, observational lyrics, and a mix of humor and seriousness.[1] His songs frequently draw on life on the road, specific places, and contemporary everyday situations, using storytelling and dry humor to make personal experiences feel universal.[1][6][8] Alongside his studio output, he is especially known for his live shows, where between-song stories are as much a part of the experience as the songs themselves, and for community-oriented projects such as his annual Keep It Warm tour supporting regional nonprofits that address food insecurity and homelessness.[3][5] Through his steady touring, collaborative spirit, and narrative songwriting, Craigie has established himself as a respected modern folk voice and a quintessential independent troubadour.
Fun Facts
- Craigie earned a degree in mathematics from the University of California, Santa Cruz, and even taught high school math in Watsonville before committing full-time to life on the road as a touring folk musician.[3][4]
- He bought an Astro van with savings from his teaching job and set off on a largely self-booked tour of coffee shops and bars across the United States, describing it as feeling like living inside one of the Steinbeck adventure stories he loved as a kid.[3]
- Craigie is known for annually performing and recording a full Beatles album live—such as “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” and “Abbey Road”—and releasing these “Beatles Lonely” versions on vinyl for Record Store Day.[2][3]
- His Keep It Warm tours partner with local nonprofits in each region to support people facing food insecurity and homelessness, tying his extensive touring directly to community-focused fundraising.[3][5]
Musical Connections
Mentors/Influences
- John Prine - Major stylistic influence; Craigie’s narrative folk writing and mix of humor and pathos have been explicitly compared to Prine’s approach. (General songwriting style; comparisons drawn between songs like Prine’s “Illegal Smile” and Craigie’s road- and character-based songs.) [Influence noted throughout Craigie’s career, especially from the 2000s onward.[1]]
- Woody Guthrie - Foundational folk influence; Craigie’s troubadour persona and topical storytelling are often discussed in relation to Guthrie’s tradition. (Reflected broadly in Craigie’s travel songs and social observation pieces rather than a single work.) [Ongoing stylistic influence noted in critical discussions of his catalog.[1]]
- Arlo Guthrie - Influence in combining spoken-word storytelling with humorous, narrative songs. (Critics hear echoes of Arlo’s long-form story songs (e.g., “Group W Bench”) in Craigie’s live storytelling and song structures.) [Frequently cited in profiles of Craigie as his career developed in the 2010s.[1]]
- Todd Snider - Influence on Craigie’s blend of wry humor, conversational lyrics, and folk storytelling. (Comparable in tone and approach across Craigie’s live sets and albums, especially his funny, anecdotal songs.) [Referenced in commentary on Craigie’s mature work in the 2010s and 2020s.[1]]
Key Collaborators
- TK & The Holy Know-Nothings (three members) - Core band on Craigie’s 2024 full-length album “Pagan Church,” developed after sitting in with the group at outdoor gigs in Portland. (Album “Pagan Church,” including the single “Laurie Rolled Me a J.”) [Collaboration began during outdoor shows in Portland and continued through the “Pagan Church” recording sessions leading up to its 2024 release.[2]]
- Shook Twins - Friends and part of the Portland music community that helped draw Craigie to settle in Portland; participants in his collaborative home-based recording scene. (Associated with the communal atmosphere around albums like “No Rain, No Rose,” recorded in his Portland Victorian house.) [Key part of his Portland transition starting around 2015.[1]]
- Jack Johnson - Touring partner; Craigie opened shows on Jack Johnson tours, gaining substantial exposure to larger audiences. (Live tours rather than specific studio recordings; touring boosted Craigie’s profile and festival invitations.) [Touring collaborations highlighted around the late 2010s, including the #KeepItWarm2018 tour period.[5]]
- Langhorne Slim - Touring collaborator; Craigie has shared bills and toured with Langhorne Slim, exposing him to overlapping folk and Americana audiences. (Joint tours and shared live shows (no specific co-released recordings cited).) [Noted as part of his extensive touring activity in the 2020s.[2]]
- Brett Dennen - Touring collaborator within the contemporary folk-pop and Americana circuit. (Shared live performances and tours rather than specific studio projects.) [Cited in connection with his 2020s touring cycles.[2]]
- Bella White - Another touring associate named among artists Craigie has toured with. (Joint bills and tours, no specific recordings mentioned.) [Referenced in relation to tours surrounding “Pagan Church.”[2]]
Artists Influenced
- [[|]] - No specific individual artists have been reliably documented in major sources as directly mentored or significantly influenced by John Craigie.
Connection Network
Discography
Albums
| Title | Release Date | Type |
|---|---|---|
| No Rain, No Rose | 2017-01-27 | Album |
| Asterisk The Universe | 2020-06-12 | Album |
| Mermaid Salt | 2022-04-15 | Album |
| Opening for Steinbeck (Live) | 2018-03-16 | Album |
| Get Outta Your Mind | 2024-09-19 | Album |
| Pagan Church | 2024-01-12 | Album |
| Greatest Hits…Just Kidding…Live - No Hits | 2024-09-20 | Album |
| Capricorn in Retrograde... Just Kidding... Live in Portland | 2016-02-26 | Album |
| October Is the Kindest Month | 2011-08-19 | Album |
| Montana Tale | 2009-12-08 | Album |
| The Apocalypse Is Over | 2013-08-13 | Album |
| Scarecrow | 2018-05-18 | Album |
| Working On My Farewell | 2015-01-18 | Album |
| Abbey Road Lonely | 2022-11-18 | Album |
| Leave the Fire Behind | 2012-05-08 | Album |
Top Tracks
- I Am California (No Rain, No Rose)
- Highway Blood (No Rain, No Rose)
- Don't Ask (Asterisk The Universe)
- Microdose (Mermaid Salt)
- Rough Johns (No Rain, No Rose)
- Dissect the Bird (Live) (Opening for Steinbeck (Live))
- Laurie Rolled Me a J
- Part Wolf (Asterisk The Universe)
- Virgin Guitar (No Rain, No Rose)
- Nomads (Asterisk The Universe)
External Links
References
Heard on WWOZ
John Craigie has been played 2 times on WWOZ 90.7 FM, New Orleans' jazz and heritage station.
| Date | Time | Title | Show | Spotify |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 7, 2025 | 15:22 | Preservation Hallfrom The Apocalypse Is Over | Homespun Americanaw/ Ol Man River | |
| Nov 9, 2025 | 15:14 | LIVE WITH LESSfrom NO RAIN NO ROSE | Homespun Americanaw/ Ol Man River |