Grammy Nominated music journalist Barry Alfonso had to say about the latest project by Craig Bickhardt:
""Outpourings" is the work of an artist who has lived enough and dreamed enough to know the weight of a simple lyric line and the power of a melody to summon angels and keep demons at bay. There’s a wealth of experience in this music, tapping into years of writing and performing before crowds and in quiet solitary hours. But more than that, there’s a sense of unrestrained wonder that Craig has never lost since he first picked up his guitar. As he sings, he 'lives for this' and he can’t keep what stirs in him to himself. Defiance… acceptance… wanderlust… reconnection. These themes resonate within 'Outpourings'. The journey is one of eternal return, with a thousand detours and surprises.
When Craig Bickhardt steps onto a concert stage, he comes equipped with his trusty acoustic guitar. A side musician or two will frequently join him. He’s also accompanied by something invisible, yet ever-present: the stories of a lifetime, vividly translated into words and melody.
From the boisterous club scene of Philadelphia to the country-rock milieu of Los Angeles to the picking parlors of Nashville, Craig has immersed himself in the sights and sounds of American music. His music reflects a life lived as a rock band lead singer, a solo troubadour, a dedicated songwriter, a husband and father. Dreams, heartaches and hard-earned lessons have fed his creativity. There is no other way he could’ve written the eloquent, often bittersweet songs that have become his trademark."
Country singer-songwriter and guitarist Craig Bickhardt was born in Pennsylvania and got his big break when he wrote and sang two songs on the soundtrack to the 1983 film Tender Mercies. That prompted a move to Nashville, where he began playing sessions (starting with background vocals on Reba McEntire's 1984 album My Kind of Country) and pitching his songs. As is usual in Nashville, most of those songs were collaborations with other writers. "That's How You Know When Love's Right," written with Wendy Waldman, was a Top Ten country hit for Nicolette Larson with Steve Wariner in 1986. In 1987, Bickhardt wrote two country Top Fives, "You're the Power" (with F.C. Collins) for Kathy Mattea and the chart-topper "I Know Where I'm Going" (with Brent Maher and Don Schlitz) for the Judds.
Of note, Bickhardt performed as a local musician during his teenage years, including in a local band called Wire and Wood, which opened for Bruce Springsteen and others. He moved to Los Angeles, California in 1974, where he and Michael Sembello began writing songs, including some which were recorded by Art Garfunkel.
The new album "Outpourings" is out now !
Website: www.craigbickhardt.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/CraigBickhardt
Twitter: twitter.com/craigbickhardt