Originally from Connecticut, drummer and producer Craig Pilo graduated from the University of North Texas in 1995 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Music. After relocating to Los Angeles in 1996, he began touring with famed trumpeter Maynard Ferguson the following year to promote the One More Trip to Birdland album. Craig credits his early success to the mentorship of legendary drummers Alan Dawson, Ed Soph, Dave Weckl, and Jeff Hamilton.
From 1998 to 2002, Craig built his reputation in the Los Angeles studio and live scene, performing with Player (“Baby Come Back”) and numerous local artists while contributing to major TV and film projects. His recording credits from this era include Ally McBeal, Boston Public, Sex and the City, CSI: Miami, Malcolm in the Middle, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, The Osbournes, and the films Basic and Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights. He also performed with Billy Vera, Malo, Heatwave, Blue Magic, Deniece Williams, Chris Montez, and Danny Weis (Iron Butterfly).
In 2002, Craig began performing regularly with Pat Boone, even appearing on one of Boone’s albums on the title track “Under God” from American Glory. Over the next few years, he also recorded and toured with Angela Carole Brown, Margo Reymundo and the Red Elvises, all of which released albums featuring his drumming. His work with Brown’s Slow Club Quartet led to a featured performance at the Playboy Jazz Festival the following year.
In October 2005, Craig joined Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Frankie Valli and spent the next 13 years touring internationally with the legendary singer. During this period, he performed over 80 shows a year and appeared on the PBS special “A Capitol 4th” in 2014, broadcast live from the U.S. Capitol to millions of viewers. Other highlights included sold-out performances at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre on Broadway, Royal Albert Hall, The O2 Arena, and the BBC Proms in the Park (Hyde Park, London).
Alongside his touring career, Craig released three acclaimed solo albums: Just Play (2007), Unsupervised (2011), and Drummer Boy (2014), the latter earning national airplay during the holiday season. From 2012–2015, he also served as a part-time lecturer at the California College of Music in Pasadena.
By 2015, Craig expanded his home studio to offer full-service recording, production, and composition for TV and film. His music has since been featured in hundreds of television shows and several films. In 2020, he founded Groove Tower Music, a boutique production music company providing high-quality custom music for media.
Today, Craig continues to balance performing and producing. He performs locally in Los Angeles with Little Fish, a rock trio featuring Jeff Pescetto (Quincy Jones, David Foster, Sheena Easton) and Rich Grossman (Rick Springfield). In 2024, Craig and Pescetto collaborated to write, produce, and release Comfort in the Night — a dark, True Detective-inspired blues album available on all streaming platforms.
Now in 2025, Craig remains in high demand, performing with Alex Nester, The Modern Gentlemen, John Lloyd Young, Little Fish, David Blasucci, and Joe Finkle’s Rockabilly Quartet, while continuing to expand Groove Tower Music’s roster of clients.
You can follow Craig and his projects across all major social media platforms.
