Royce Campbell

Who is Royce Campbell?

Royce Campbell is a jazz guitarist.

Royce Campbell was born in Seymour, Indiana, in 1952. The son of a career navy man, Campbell grew up in various cities around the U.S. and abroad, including Asia, Europe, and the West Indies. Exposure to various musical genres while a child contributed to Campbell's musical style and approach in jazz composition and playing. A love for rock and roll marked Campbell's first connection with the guitar, at the age of nine, when he discovered Chuck Berry. Like many guitarists of his generation, Campbell was also influenced by Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton.

By the time Royce finished high school in the early 1970s, he was certain he wanted to pursue a professional career in music. His uncle, Carroll DeCamp, an arranger/pianist who arranged for Stan Kenton and Les Elgart, invited Royce to live with him and study in Indiana, providing most of Royce's musical education in theory and composition, and by age 21, Campbell had begun touring with R&B artist Marvin Gaye and developing his talents for stage performance. In 1975, Royce was hired by a local music contractor to do three concerts with award-winning film composer Henry Mancini in Indianapolis. Soon after Royce became the touring guitarist with Henry Mancini's orchestra, holding that positing until Mancini's death in 1994.