Royce Campbell

Musical career

He was born in North Vernon, Indiana. When he was five, his mother married a career Navy man, and Campbell grew up in cities throughout the U.S. and the world. Exposure to a variety of genres contributed to his musical style. A love for rock and roll marked his first connection with the guitar, at the age of nine, when he discovered Chuck Berry. Like many guitarists of his generation, he was influenced by Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton.

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. 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. He held the job 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 November 2010, Royce Campbell was inducted into the Indianapolis Jazz Foundation Hall of Fame.