Craig Carothers, born and raised in Portland, Oregon, is an American singer-songwriter. His parents, both public school music teachers, introduced him to various genres including jazz, gospel, classical, blues, Motown, pop, and folk. Early in his career, Carothers performed extensively in the Pacific Northwest. In 1995, he began taking trips to Southern cities like Nashville, where his performances at the Bluebird Café were featured on Nashville Public Radio's Players and Poets. That same year, country music artist Trisha Yearwood recorded his song "Little Hercules", leading to a gold record and subsequent publishing deals. Several artists including Kathy Mattea and Lorrie Morgan recorded songs written or co-written by Carothers. In 2000, he moved to Nashville and continued touring widely. Notable achievements include winning the Mountain Stage NewSong Festival in 2006 and becoming an adjunct professor at University of Miami's Frost School of Music in 2012.
