Former ‘mayor of Oak Lawn’ Corey Craig spins into Big D with new disc
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| MEDICINE MAN: If Craig looks familiar, he was a pharmacist at the Albertson’s at McKinney and Lemmon. |
Corey Craig’s high-tech cell phone has no reception problems as he passes by Southern Oklahoma’s Arbuckle Mountains en route to visit his grandma.
The Manhattan DJ travels light, and when he zips back to Dallas for a Friday gig at Station 4, he fires up his MacBook Pro and a little device that translates his audio directly to the soundboard.
"I’m all digital — high-def DVDs, high-res MP3s," he says.
Craig’s technical wizardry isn’t surprising. During the day he works in a hospital laboratory as chemotherapy nuclear pharmacist.
"I’m just like Sherman Klump, from ‘The Nutty Professor,’" he laughs.
In 2001, Craig left his pharmacy job at the Albertson’s on McKinney at Lemmon where he worked had worked for four years.
"I promised myself that when I turned 30, I’d move to New York. But when I was in Dallas, people called me the ‘mayor of Oak Lawn," he says.
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So it’s no surprise that the friendly Albertson’s employee just titled his first re-mix album "POPular" (Centaur).
On the 14-track disc, Craig tackles versions of "American Boy," "Womanizer, "Disturbia" and "Spotlight." But he doesn’t re-tool vocal tracks by Estelle, Britney, Rihanna and Jennifer Hudson, because Craig says obtaining licensing from the original recording artist is just crazy expensive. So he works with commissioned singers, and then only has to pay royalties to the songwriter. But that’s only for selling albums.
When Craig spins live, labels do let him play with original a capella tracks, but to gain access to those, DJs go through a meticulous vetting process.
"Record labels are so protective. They’ll make you prove you’re an actual DJ, and they check your credibility with club owners," he explains. "When I spin, I try to match the original with my commissioned cover songs."
He’s especially proud of the last track on his album — "Thank You for Being a Friend," the "Golden Girls" theme song. That’s his signature closer at the end of every set.
Craig started cutting tracks a just few years ago. So far, he’s having a blast balancing his two-headed career.
Craig spins at he the GLAAD Friday Mix at Station 4 (S4), 3911 Cedar Springs Rd. Dec. 12 at 10:30 p.m. 214-559-0650.
HOLIDAY SPREE
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On Saturday, Dallas’ gay-inclusive pop-choral ensemble The Polyphonic Spree performs two "Christmas Extravaganza" shows. WOMEN’S CHORUS XMAS
Dec. 13. Kids set at 1 p.m., $40. Rock show at 8 p.m. $30. Granada Theater, 3524 Greenville Ave. 214-824-9933.
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On Sunday, The Women’s Chorus of Dallas performs "Jubilation Concert," led by artistic director Melinda Imthurn, pictured.
Dec. 14 at 2 p.m. SMU’s Caruth Auditorium, 6101 Bishop Blvd. Premium seating, $20; seniors-students, $10. 214-520-782. twcd.org
THE ‘TRUE’ GAYKEN
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On Friday, E!’s "True Hollywood" series traces Clay Aiken’s coming out — with a don’t-miss interview with Green Beret John Paulus (the trick who got fisted and kept the dirty washcloth to prove it!)
Dec. 12 a 8 pm. on E!
This article appeared in the Dallas Voice print edition December 12, 2008.