{{Short description|New Zealand pop singer}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}} {{BLP sources|date=February 2015}} '''David Alan Craig Scott''' (born 1950) is a New Zealand pop singer who had several commercially successful singles in the 1970s.<ref name="AudioCulture">{{cite web |url=https://www.audioculture.co.nz/people/craig-scott |accessdate=26 July 2020 |title=Craig Scott}}</ref>

==Early life== Scott was born in 1950 and grew up in Dunedin, where he was educated at King's High School.<ref name="AudioCulture" /> After leaving school, he found work as a bank clerk at the National Bank, where he stayed for 2½ years.<ref name="AudioCulture" />

==Singing career== Scott began his music career in the late 1960s, singing with the local Dunedin band Klap.<ref name="AudioCulture" /><ref>{{cite web |last1=Burrows |first1=Matt |title=How ‘70s Dunedin pop star Craig Scott swapped music career for real estate |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/real-life-how-70s-dunedin-pop-star-craig-scott-swapped-music-career-for-real-estate/ISRP63NUPFA3JFGZYXVAKIGDAQ/ |website=The New Zealand Herald |access-date=15 June 2024 |language=en-NZ |date=16 June 2024}}</ref>

In 1968, Scott joined the band The Fantasy which shortly thereafter moved from Dunedin to Christchurch.<ref name="AudioCulture" /> 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.<ref name="AudioCulture" /> 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.<ref name="AudioCulture" />

In April 1970, Scott was offered a solo career and left Revival, which subsequently broke up.<ref name="AudioCulture" /> He was given a starring role in the television music series ''Happen Inn'', which brought him national attention.<ref name="AudioCulture" /> 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.<ref>{{cite web |title=Craig Scott: '50 years on, I still get recognised every day' |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/sunday/audio/2018750601/craig-scott-50-years-on-i-still-get-recognised-every-day |website=RNZ |access-date=15 June 2024 |language=en-nz |date=14 June 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=X0UEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA59|title=New Zealand Charts|work=Billboard|date=1 Aug 1970|page=59}}</ref> 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);<ref>[https://www.45cat.com/record/ba221387 Lynne Randell - "Ciao Baby"]: April 1967 release, discographical details at 45cat.com, Retrieved 2 January 2020</ref><ref>[https://www.45cat.com/record/hr453 Craig Scott - "Ciao Baby"]: 1971 release, discographical details at 45cat.com, Retrieved 2 January 2020</ref> and ''When Jojo Runs''.

On 27 February 1973, Scott married Joanne Rowe at Caversham Presbyterian Church.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19730228.2.105 |title=The pop singer, Craig Scott, with his bride, formerly Miss Joanne Rowe, after their marriage ceremony at Caversham Presbyterian Church, Dunedin |work=The Press |volume=113 |issue=33162 |date=28 February 1973 |page=14 |access-date=5 January 2026 |via=PapersPast}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19730303.2.60 |title=Craig Scott marries |work=The Press |volume=113 |issue=33165 |date=3 March 1973 |page=7 |access-date=5 January 2026 |via=PapersPast}}</ref>

In 1974, ''Happen Inn'' was cancelled and Scott began to lose popularity.<ref name="AudioCulture" /> Around 1975, his last single to be successful was ''Wind and Rain'', peaking at #11 on the New Zealand pop chart.

* "Star Crossed Lovers" [NZ #1] * "Let's Get a Little Sentimental" [NZ #4] * "Peaceful Mountain" [NZ #12] * "Can I Believe In You" [NZ #3] * "Smiley" [NZ #3] * "One More Mountain to Climb" [NZ #14] * "When Jo Jo Runs" [NZ #5] * "Wind and Rain" [NZ #11] * "Rock and Roll (I Gave You the Best Years of My Life)" [NZ #13]<ref>[http://www.poparchives.com.au/feature.php?id=2078 Pop Archives]</ref>

==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.<ref name="AudioCulture" /> 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.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.scene.co.nz/queenstown-news/craigs-back-on-song/ |title=Craig’s back on song" |work=Mountain Scene |date=8 September 2011}}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Scott, Craig}} Category:1950 births Category:Living people Category:New Zealand pop singers Category:Musicians from Dunedin Category:People educated at King's High School, Dunedin