Royce Campbell
Blues-Influenced Jazz Guitarist
Inducted into the Indianapolis Jazz Hall of Fame in 2010
Royce Campbell
(June 7, 1952 - Present)
Royce Campbell, jazz guitarist, was a member of the Henry Mancini orchestra for twenty years and whose blues-influenced, jazz-guitar playing has earned him accolades as a solo performer and sought-after session musician. Born in North Vernon, Indiana with a stepfather who was career military, Campbell grew up in cities throughout the U.S. and the world. He started playing the guitar at 9 and the first jazz guitarist he was interested in was Wes Montgomery. By the time he finished high school in Spain in the early 1970s, he had decided to pursue a career in music. His uncle, pianist Carroll DeCamp, who had done arrangements for Stan Kenton and Les Elgart, invited him to Indianapolis to live and study. His uncle provided his education in music theory and composition and at 21, he toured with rhythm and blues (R&B) singer Marvin Gaye before spending twenty years as a member of the Henry Mancini orchestra until Mancini's death in 1994.
During the 1990s, Campbell recorded more as a leader. In 1993, he produced Project G-5: A Tribute to Wes Montgomery which also featured guitarists Tal Farlow, Jimmy Raney, Herb Ellis, and fellow Hoosier Cal Collins. His 1994 album 6x6 featured guitarists Pat Martino, John Abercrombie, Larry Coryell, Dave Stryker, and Bucky Pizzarelli. On Project G-5: A Tribute to Joe Pass (1999) he combined the talents of Charlie Byrd, Gene Bertoncini, Mundell Lowe, and John Pisano.
In addition to recording with many of the greats of the jazz guitar, Royce has had multiple tours in Europe and Japan as a soloist. Royce has also performed with many other jazz giants such as Mel Torme, James Moody, Nancy Wilson, Sarah Vaughn, Jack McDuff, Ray Brown, Dave Brubeck, Joe Williams, Cleo Laine, Eddie Daniels, Eddie Harris, Frank Morgan, Ken Poplowski, Gerry Mulligan, Houston Person, Freddy Cole, Vanessa Rubin, Jimmy Cobb, Fred Hersch, Rosemary Clooney, and Mose Allison.
Recording since 1983 and with more than 30 albums as a leader, Campbell has said he is most proud of his 2009 release Solo Mancini: A Solo Guitar Tribute to Henry Mancini.
