Craig Scott (singer)

David Alan Craig Scott (born 1950) is a New Zealand pop singer who had several commercially successful singles in the 1970s.[1]

Early life

Scott was born in 1950 and grew up in Dunedin, where he was educated at King's High School.[1] After leaving school, he found work as a bank clerk at the National Bank, where he stayed for 2½ years.[1]

Singing career

Scott began his music career in the late 1960s, singing with the local Dunedin band Klap.[1][2]

In 1968, Scott joined the band The Fantasy which shortly thereafter moved from Dunedin to Christchurch.[1] For some time Craig Scott and The Fantasy were the resident group at "The Scene" dance hall/nightclub at 224 Tuam St Christchurch.

Scott then joined the band Revival which won a Battle of the Bands contest in May 1969.[1] Winning the contest brought the band to the attention of His Master's Voice and they were invited to Wellington to record a single, Viva Bobby Joe, which peaked at #14 on the national singles chart.[1]

In April 1970, Scott was offered a solo career and left Revival, which subsequently broke up.[1] He was given a starring role in the television music series Happen Inn, which brought him national attention.[1] He released a series of commercially successful singles beginning with a cover version of Neil Sedaka's Star Crossed Lovers which spent four weeks at number one on the New Zealand charts and was Scott's only number one single.[3][4] Other singles included Let's Get A Little Sentimental; Smiley (a cover of Australian pop star Ronnie Burns's hit); Ciao Baby (1971) which was previously covered by Lynne Randell for a top ten hit in Australia (1967);[5][6] and When Jojo Runs.

On 27 February 1973, Scott married Joanne Rowe at Caversham Presbyterian Church.[7][8]

In 1974, Happen Inn was cancelled and Scott began to lose popularity.[1] Around 1975, his last single to be successful was Wind and Rain, peaking at #11 on the New Zealand pop chart.

Retirement from performing and later life

Scott retired from performing in the late 1970s, saying "I couldn't see myself doing that for the next 20 years". He became a music promoter. He then started New Zealand's first video rental business before managing Warner Brothers Video New Zealand for 15 years.

In 2001, Scott and his wife moved back to Dunedin.[1] They got into the property business, renovating houses, and in the late 2000s they moved to the small Central Otago town of Arrowtown, becoming real estate agents there.[10]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Craig Scott". Retrieved 26 July 2020.
  2. ^ Burrows, Matt (16 June 2024). "How '70s Dunedin pop star Craig Scott swapped music career for real estate". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 15 June 2024.
  3. ^ "Craig Scott: '50 years on, I still get recognised every day'". RNZ. 14 June 2020. Retrieved 15 June 2024.
  4. ^ "New Zealand Charts". Billboard. 1 August 1970. p. 59.
  5. ^ Lynne Randell - "Ciao Baby": April 1967 release, discographical details at 45cat.com, Retrieved 2 January 2020
  6. ^ Craig Scott - "Ciao Baby": 1971 release, discographical details at 45cat.com, Retrieved 2 January 2020
  7. ^ "The pop singer, Craig Scott, with his bride, formerly Miss Joanne Rowe, after their marriage ceremony at Caversham Presbyterian Church, Dunedin". The Press. Vol. 113, no. 33162. 28 February 1973. p. 14. Retrieved 5 January 2026 – via PapersPast.
  8. ^ "Craig Scott marries". The Press. Vol. 113, no. 33165. 3 March 1973. p. 7. Retrieved 5 January 2026 – via PapersPast.
  9. ^ Pop Archives
  10. ^ "Craig's back on song"". Mountain Scene. 8 September 2011.
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