SongVault Artist Profile

Sometimes declared "one of Roswell, New Mexico's most interesting aliens" (he even has the "big heart" like E.T. to go along with this reputation!), other times deemed "one of Texas's most underappreciated and overlooked entertainers", the singer-songwriting/novelist with the "mint green eyes" who coined the word "ThrillerBaby Generation" for the American lexicon by authoring the cult-favorite underground classic latchkey 1980s epic novel "Signature Place" (www.SignaturePlace.com ), Joshua Crawford seems to cause quite a stir no matter WHAT he lends his talents to. "Green Eyed Soul" and "Master Of Medlody" were terms that the critics themselves invented for this diverse poet who lives on disability that began playing the piano "by ear" at the age of only 4, started writing epic novels at age 15, and ditched "directing motion pictures" for "songwriting" instead when he was invited into Spielberg's personal office at age 18 for a birthday present; his first song being "SING ALONG" (listen for the words "Jurassic Park" in the lyrics!). He's been writing melodic and catchy torch songs at the piano ever since, and has now surpassed the 300 mark. He's also been known to sell out a concert by performing just one single song, and is considered a Dylanesque spokesperson for his ThrillerBaby latchkey generation (www.ThrillerBaby.com) due to devoting 8 years of his life to writing the very well known (but mysteriously unpublished) "Signature Place" book.

Many consider him "the one to watch", while others just consider him and the fact that he's been pronounced dead TWICE "revolutionary" and a "modern miracle." Either way, there's not much gloss and tweaking here, this is the real deal. His trademark is having a unique rhaspy and gruffy "close to the mic" LIVE-sounding voice that makes those who listen to him feel like he's jumping right out of their speakers; especially when he starts to hit the high notes and use his very wide octave range. And never take his simple-but-compelling lyrics at face value; as due to that fact that he is a novelist (much less, a once aspiring move director), his songs are known to have double and sometimes tripple meanings to them. Don't let the fact that what few studio-recordings exist of his were recorded well over a decade ago fool you either; as those same recordings are some of the most downloaded iTunes of all time because they are often considered so well produced (and on such a shoestring budget!), that they quite honestly defy age, style, and genre.

Some of his fans swear that the song "SHE" by Elvis Costello from the movie "NOTTING HILL" sounds so 'Crawfordesque' in its production, that it had to be one of Crawford's own creations, even though it wasn't.

Other strong influences on Crawford include everyone from Paul McCartney, Barry Manilow, Billy Joel, Neil Diamond, Michael Jackson. Hall & Oates, James Taylor, Dallas Holm, and even KISS ... to the great film composers like John Williams, Jerry Goldsmith, and Alan Silvestri; whose own "Romancing the Stone" score from the 1984 film led to Crawford composing one of the most sought after songs on the Internet that he wrote in just 5 minutes from start to finish at the young age of 18; "PLAY ME". It is now considered one of his "signature" songs, along with many others.

Why Crawford is not signed to a major label, continues to remain an enigma to not only his fans, but the entire music industry as well ... with many from that industry often showing up at the last minute to a "benefit concert" or two that has many diverse artists as part of its appeal, simply to catch one single performance of one single song; HIS. As his allure is based strongly on word of mouth or "chain-like" emails from one music lover to the next. Some have felt that this "lack of being mass-marketed" could be a sign that major labels are not ready to take a chance on an artist who has disabilites such as Crawford's; (he reportedly is the youngest person alive to have ever acquired such a severe case of Cardiomyopathy in his youth, that a 'transplant' was deemed needed, or he'd die -- he survived the ordeal without having the transplant, thus puzzling the medical science field ever since!) Others, however, feel as though this "underground status" of Joshua's works have only aided to what fans and industry insiders often refer to as "the Crawford Mystique"; much due in part to the fact that he nevers seems to perform the same song the same way (causing those in the audience to feel as though they're getting something extra special) and that because his struggles have been documented by so many, many believe his mere "presence" is the talent itself! Both fans AND bookworms alike however have been rooting for him to get "signed" and "published" ever since he first came on to the scene in 1993 and almost made it onto the soundtrack to 1995's "CLUELESS", yet he has ironically outlasted many of his contemporaries who were considered more popular at the time of his arrival; many being those associated with grunge music that eventually overkilled itself during the twilight years of the 1990s. Often, he has remarked that he probably would've been launched as an artist had he existed during the 1970s birth of the singer-songwriters that launched John Denver, Carly Simon, America, Toto, and Supertramp. He often credits those like John Mayer, however, as well as Norah Jones, Jewel, and Maroon 5 for RE-opening the doors to the world for his type of music.

"Sing Along" is considered a piano-pop "classic" with concerto-like qualities (especially for a "1st song"!) by many jazz enthusiasts because it is so well structured, and although it clocks in at a whopping 6 and a half minutes ... due to its many modulations and catchy abridgements, it feels more like 4 and a half and has always remained a debate amongst fans and critics as to whether or not it was recorded LIVE. (The complete uncut version includes an applause at the end.)
His website is www.JoshuaCrawford.com and his music (and a more thorough 'bio' of his fascinating life) can be downloaded or purchased through www.cdBaby.com/JoshuaCrawford, as well as www.myspace.com/JoshuaCrawford.
LYRICS to his "all-too-few" recordings are available exclusively on JoshuaCrawford.NET.

It is now a confirmed statistic by many insiders that he is the most heavily-considered-to-SIGN artist with the most passed-around DEMO (only to have never acquired a "record-deal") in the entire history of the music industry; let alone, also holds this same unique position amongst the publishing industry with his latchkey novel, "Signature Place."
His works (and his well-known grugarious and determined-to-beat-the-odds personality) are so popular on the underground entertainment circuit, that both actors Jimmy Stewart and Christopher Reeve wrote him letters of encouragement, shortly before their deaths.
To this day, he cannot read a single note of music and he is considered a child-prodigy; although he has never confirmed or denied this publically.