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Definition of determination: Eric Crawley

DAYTON, Ohio – Eric Crawley is an artist who loves creating unique harmonies and working on his vocal range. He challenges himself to discover new sounds and wants to share music in his heart with other. Besides singing, Crawley has danced on a show called "Dance Club 21" in Dallas, Texas. He also performed during an FC Dallas soccer championship halftime show that aired on ESPN. Though he has accomplished a lot, Crawley said his dream of making music will never stop.

Today, the 22-year-old artist, who graduated with a degree in business administration, considers his sound to be Soul, R&B and Experimental. Crawley said he is driven by music. According to him, his past experiences – both triumphs and defeats, have made him the person he is. For Crawley, singing is about sharing his story, while making listeners think positive. "I feel music is therapy," he said. "It speaks its own language and really does something for the soul." Crawley has had a passion for music since he was a toddler and said he'll never stop working toward his goal in reaching others through his songs. "[My hope] is for people to accept my music in a way that benefits and broadens their outlook [on life.]"

Crawley has surrounded himself with music since he was three years old, when he fell in love with singing in his church chior and at day care. He remembers his youthful past, saying, "I would sing nursery rhymes and songs with extra feeling to it." Though he was young, he had determination in his voice.

His desire to make music grew deeper as he got older. Crawley said he would wake up early to watch music videos on BET, MTV and VH1. While watching, he would study the videos and memorize the songs. For him, the genre didn't matter. "I would watch whatever came on," he said. Crawley was music-hungry and spent his free time listening to a variety of artists and writing songs.

He's inspired by a variety of artists, but Brandy, Michael Jackson and Maxwell are three of his favorites. Crawley said these artists are the ones who kept him devoted to music. "When it comes to swagger, Maxwell fills that approach in his music," he said. "Brandy showed me music can heal the listener and give them something to think about. Michael is the one who made me realize I wanted to be a singer. His movie ‘Moonwalker' sped up the whole dream." Crawley takes these artists to heart and said he wants listeners to do the same with his songs.

Though his style is Soul/R&B, he considers it Experimental because Crawley's focus is to bring new melodies and storylines into his sound and lyrics. His song "Gephetto" has a Neo Soul style to it, talking about a wood maker who is lonely. The man carves a life-size woman out of a block of wood. Feeling bad for the man, a fairy Godmother turns his creation into a real woman. Crawley said he's proud of the song for its vintage sound and creative storyline. The song is a storyline-remake of the classic Disney film "Pinocchio."

Besides "Gephetto," Crawley is proud of two other songs titled "Monster" – an upbeat song with European/Pop flair, and "Hold on 2 Love" – a ballad with a 1980s vibe. "I tried something different with those tracks and believe vocally, I improved," he said. "I'm always challenging myself to learn different ways to approach the songs I create." Crawley's recent songs, along with six others are available on his MySpace.

Despite hard work, Crawley has struggled. He auditioned for season four of "American Idol" in New Orleans, and though he felt positive, he was cut. He said it hurt not making the selection because it was his first "real" audition. Crawley auditioned two other seasons, but didn't get past round one. He also tried out for "Making the Band" in Atlanta and "America's Got Talent," but didn't get far. Still, Crawley didn't give up. "[I thought to myself,] ‘Maybe auditioning isn't for me,'" he said. "‘Maybe I should just focus on creating my music from scratch."

Being defeated was heartbreaking, but Crawley learned from his experiences. He decided to put his entire efforts into recording music. "I usually write and record at the same time," he said. "I would record, write, record and write – just in the flow of the song."

Writing and recording his music enabled him to create goals involving his sound. He also spent time thinking about his vocals. "I believe there aren't many male artists in the same genre as me," he said. "I'm talking about [artists] who really explore their vocals and not just the typical R&B sound." Crawley said he focuses on expressing his sound with different tones in his voice. "I may not be able to hit crazy-high notes, but I feel you can still sing and bring power without hitting those notes."

Another important aspect to him is detail. Crawley wants his final products to be top-notch. He said his songs have to represent him 100 percent throughout the creation process. If a song is upbeat, the melodies within the track have to be meaningful to him. Crawley said he wants others to love his music, but said as an artist, he has to feel connected to the sound he generates. "As a writer, the beat has to mean something to me," he said. "I shouldn't have a hard time coming up with something because the beat can't live by itself." He also focuses on the background of a song. "I feel lead vocals are the shape [of a song] and background fills it in with color."

Crawley said he has an undying passion for music and isn't giving up. He said he is hopeful for his future and is keeping faith. "[The Lord knows] I want to entertain more than anything else," he said. "I just want to share my gift with anyone who is willing and interested in listening."

All photos stand copyright Eric Crawley.

About the Author

As a freelance writer based in Dayton, Ohio, I have published over 20 articles for a small newspaper in the Midwest. I have spent time covering multiple topics including the economy and entertainment. However, my passion revolves around writing artist profiles, album reviews and anything else music-related. To get in touch, e-mail cmchaffin@gmail.com.