Craig Karolus
Craig grew up in Long Prairie, Minnesota; a small community where everybody knows everybody. The high school marching band, called The Minnesota Marching M’Bassadors, under the direction of Mr. Gove (now retired), put this town on the map. Craig was a percussionist in the marching band. He also filled the role of drum major for the field show performances his senior year in high school. The band traveled all over the country. Craig had the opportunity to direct the field show band while they performed at the Festival Of States competition in St. Petersberg, FL in 1986. “This was an experience I’ll never forget; a real honor. Music has always been a part of my life. I look back to when I was just a small child, visiting my grandma in Wisconsin. In her basement, there was a small electric organ that I used to play all the time. This is where I learned how to put basic melodies together.”
Craig got his first taste of New Age music while serving in the US Army in A.I.T. (Advanced Individual Training) at Ft. Sam Houston, San Antonio, TX. “One weekend I walked into a store at the shopping mall. The first thing that caught my eye was a laser kaleidoscope playing with music. I asked the clerk what kind of music that was, he said it’s called New Age (Fresh Aire was the artist). I was hooked, and have been ever since.”
After serving eight years as a medic in the Army, Craig teamed up with his brothers Todd, Curt and good friends (guitarist) Paul Singh and (bass guitarist) Mic Ironi to play in a rock band. The cover band, named “Karolus”, played for nearly 10 years before the group decided to hang it up. “One of the many highlights while playing in this band was opening up for Great White at a local show.” After playing in the band, Craig decided it was time to compile the music he has written over the past 15 years to create his first album. “I am very excited and it gives me great pleasure to introduce my first album, “Standing On Top” to the world.”
Please visit Craig’s website. Click here.