Caleb Sean McCampbell (born July 3, 1986) is an American singer, songwriter, instrumentalist, and record producer from
Dallas
Dallas () is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the most populous city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the List of Texas metropolitan areas, most populous metropolitan area in Texas and the Metropolitan statistical area, fourth-most ...
, Texas.
Early life
Born into a family of musicians, McCampbell began to sing and play the piano at the age of three. By the age of seven he was involved in piano recitals at his elementary school, and was playing for the children's choir at his home church in
Dallas
Dallas () is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the most populous city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the List of Texas metropolitan areas, most populous metropolitan area in Texas and the Metropolitan statistical area, fourth-most ...
,
Texas
Texas ( , ; or ) is the most populous U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Louisiana to the east, Arkansas to the northeast, Oklahoma to the north, New Mexico to the we ...
. His father was a member of the
Mac Band, a pop/R&B band that gained popularity with the hit song "Roses are Red" in the early 1990s, and his mother was a vocalist in the band Soul Liberation. McCampbell became familiar with the music industry through his father. McCampbell began singing with his four siblings, and by high school, he was gaining favor through playing different musical gigs in the Dallas and
Fort Worth
Fort Worth is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the county seat of Tarrant County, Texas, Tarrant County, covering nearly into Denton County, Texas, Denton, Johnson County, Texas, Johnson, Parker County, Texas, Parker, and Wise County, Te ...
areas.
Education
At an early age, Caleb began his musical training studying under musicians in his family, and continued his musical education through formal instruction beginning at the age of seven. By the age of thirteen, Caleb was a trained vocalist, pianist, and drummer and began to act and model during middle school and high school. While attending Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts, Caleb was a recipient of the prestigious Downbeat award for “Outstanding Performance” in the categories of “Best Instrumental Soloist” and “Best Original Jazz Composition". After graduating from high school, Caleb continued his education at Cedar Valley College, earning an associate degree in Applied Science for Commercial Music/Performing Musician. After graduation, Caleb was offered a teaching position at Cedar Valley, and became an adjunct professor of Jazz studies there for two years.
Career
McCampbell's first recording gig was in 1989, at age three: he sung in a commercial for
Proline
Proline (symbol Pro or P) is an organic acid classed as a proteinogenic amino acid (used in the biosynthesis of proteins), although it does not contain the amino group but is rather a secondary amine. The secondary amine nitrogen is in the p ...
's "Just for Me" hair care product. He continued to pursue musical studies throughout elementary, middle school, high school, playing for local churches, weddings, and other musical venues; as a performing musician, he played keyboards for country, blues, jazz, gospel, contemporary, and pop artists.
McCampbell has also appeared on the syndicated
ABC
ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script.
ABC or abc may also refer to:
Arts, entertainment and media Broadcasting
* Aliw Broadcasting Corporation, Philippine broadcast company
* American Broadcasting Company, a commercial American ...
television network show ''Good Morning Texas'', and the
Trinity Broadcasting Network
The Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN; legally Trinity Broadcasting of Texas, Inc.) is an international Christian-based broadcast television network and the world's largest religious television network. TBN solicits donations on its Web site, a ...
. He was a co-founder of the Dallas-based
jazz fusion
Jazz fusion (also known as jazz rock, jazz-rock fusion, or simply fusion) is a popular music genre that developed in the late 1960s when musicians combined jazz harmony and improvisation with rock music, funk, and rhythm and blues. Electric gui ...
band, The Funky Knuckles who he performed and toured with for 7 years. McCampbell has performed and toured with many national and international recording artists such as Marcus Miller, Stanley Clarke, PJ Morton, and Chrisette Michele, and has worked with gospel artists such as
Kirk Franklin
Kirk Dewayne Franklin (born January 26, 1970) is an American Gospel music, gospel musician. One of the List of best-selling gospel music artists, best-selling gospel music artists, his accolades include 20 Grammy Awards. ''Variety (magazine), Var ...
,
Myron Butler
Myron Demond Butler (born July 27, 1974) is a gospel musician, record producer, singer-songwriter, music director, vocalist, organist and pianist. Most notably, he is known as the leader of the gospel choir, Myron Butler & Levi. Since 1997, he' ...
, and
Tamela Mann
Tamela Jean Mann (née Johnson; born June 9, 1966) is an American gospel singer and actress. She began her career as a singer with the gospel group Kirk Franklin and the Family. Mann was a primary vocalist on several tracks while with Franklin's ...
. During his work as a
music producer
A record producer or music producer is a music creating project's overall supervisor whose responsibilities can involve a range of creative and technical leadership roles. Typically the job involves hands-on oversight of recording sessions; ensu ...
, he co-produced fellow Texas native
Beyoncé
Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter ( ; born September 4, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and businesswoman. With a career spanning over three decades, she has established herself as one of the most Cultural impact of Beyoncé, ...
's hit song "
Best Thing I Never Had
"Best Thing I Never Had" is a song by American singer Beyoncé from her fourth studio album, ''4 (Beyoncé album), 4'' (2011). It was released by Columbia Records on June 1, 2011, as the second single from the album. The song was composed ...
" in 2011. He was credited with frequent collaborator
Symbolyc One
Larry Darnell Griffin Jr. (born August 3, 1976), known professionally as Symbolyc One (or S1), is an American record producer from Waco, Texas. He signed with Kanye West's GOOD Music as an in-house staffer on the label's Very GOOD Beats producti ...
. In 2011, He officially signed to
Symbolyc One
Larry Darnell Griffin Jr. (born August 3, 1976), known professionally as Symbolyc One (or S1), is an American record producer from Waco, Texas. He signed with Kanye West's GOOD Music as an in-house staffer on the label's Very GOOD Beats producti ...
‘s production team, Soul Kontrollaz Production and continued to work as a producer alongside him for several years.
McCampbell has received nominations for a Soul Train Award for "Song of the Year" for "Best Thing I Never Had", was a 2011 pick for the "On the Come Up" interview for
ASCAP
The American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP) () is an American not-for-profit performance-rights organization (PRO) that collectively licenses the public performance rights of its members' musical works to venues, broadc ...
, and received an NAACP Image Award nomination for "Outstanding Song" for Beyonce's "Best Thing I Never Had", and "Outstanding Album" for ''4''. In 2012, McCampbell also received a Billboard Music Award for Top R&B Album for his production on Beyonce's "4" Album. In June 2012, Caleb won a R&B/Hip Hop Award at the ASCAP Rhythm and Soul Awards for his co-production on Beyonce's "Best Thing I Never Had".
Discography
*"Wish" "Anomaly" Lecrae (vocals) 2014
*"Best Thing I Never Had" ''4'' Beyonce (co-producer) 2011
*"Murder to Excellence" ''Watch the Throne'' Kanye/Jay-Z (add. Keys) 2011
*"Mr. International" ''Gutter Rainbows'' Talib Kweli (co-producer) 2010
*"After the Party" ''Leftback'' Little Brother 2010
*"Say Wassup" ''El Che'' Rhymefest 2010
*"Splitting Image" ''Splitting Image'' Kam Moye 2010
References
External Reference
Official websiteOfficial blog
{{DEFAULTSORT:Caleb Sean
1986 births
Living people
Musicians from Dallas
Record producers from Texas
American male pianists
21st-century American pianists
21st-century American male musicians