Craig Lloyd’s new single ‘Take The Wheel’ is a Garth Brooks style ballad, co-written and produced with Golden Guitar winners Carter & Carter at the helm. Craig says “‘Take The Wheel’ is a story of hope. Hope that a greater being can help to guide and steer us through difficult times of loss, fear, and regret. I’ve always loved singing, but I had an extremely demanding career, so before 2019 hadn’t considered pursuing music. Then ‘the other side of me’ just had to come out…’
Craig began his adult career as a Police Officer, working the streets of London before advancing to Scotland Yard. Seeking new experiences, he relocated to Australia, worked for the police force, ambulance services, then the Melbourne Metro Fire Brigade. He met his now wife, had a family, towed a caravan exploring Australia, before settling in rural Victoria in a small country town called Alexandra. This is where he discovered his ‘other side’ and after a ‘Taste of Tamworth’ concert in the local town hall spoke with Lyn Bowtell who encouraged him to apply to the Academy of Country Music. He was accepted and headed off to start his newest adventure – country music.
“It’s a wonderful new phase of my life. You won’t find many country singers in the British Police force, and I doubt any at Scotland Yard” laughs Craig, who now weaves some of his venturesome moments into his songs.
That he is influenced by his Country music heroes like Garth Brooks, Kenny Rogers and George Strait is obvious, not just in his style, but also in the way he approaches a song. Whether it is his own personal narrative, commentaries on others’ lives, or completely fictional, Craig is all about the story. Reminiscing, Craig says that it wasn’t until very recently that he realised where his love of country music came from… secretly listening to ‘Whispering Bob Harris’ the king of country radio in England, in the dark, on an old tape player, under his pillow, hiding from his parents.
Craig has already supported and worked with Australian artists including Fanny Lumsden, Lachlan Bryan (The Wildes), Lyn Bowtell, Roger Corbett and Dobe Newton (The Bushwackers), Catherine Britt, Carter & Carter, Dom Italiano and Elisha Francesca.
With his debut album ‘The Other Side of Me’ due for official release at the 2023 Tamworth Country Music Festival, his current radio single ‘Take The Wheel’ gives us a wonderful taste of what’s to come, with soulful vocals and great musicianship that takes us on an emotional journey.
Craig says ‘Take The Wheel’ is a story of hope. Whilst it’s not his personal account, it is a cumulative story of friends and family, and draws inspiration from their lives. “I’m so proud of ‘The Other Side of Me’, it’s my first album, I had wonderful co-writing experiences, I got to work with Carter & Carter, Adrian Hannan, Roger Corbett and some world-class musicians to produce the songs, and I get to tell my stories. What could be better?”