Greg’s musical journey started young. His dad was a drummer, and though he wasn’t allowed to touch the kit, Greg was determined to learn. As a teen, he’d trace the shadows of his dad’s cymbals onto cardboard so he could secretly practice — always putting everything back just right so he wouldn’t get caught. According to his mom, he even kicked in time while she attended his dad’s gigs while pregnant!
One day, while he was supposed to be cleaning his room, the radio caught his attention — Z101 played Dire Straits’ “Money for Nothing,” followed by Van Halen’s “You Really Got Me.” That moment sealed it. He ran to his dad and said, “I want a guitar.” They found one at a garage sale — a vintage Strat-style with a whammy bar that made up for its ‘old man’ look.
Frustrated by the clean tone, Greg traded it for an SG-style guitar, then sold that for a skateboard — until his friend Bobby re-lit the fire by showing him a Dokken riff. One word changed everything: distortion.
Greg lawn-mowed for gear, dabbled in keyboards, and eventually traded his BMX bike for a Peavey Patriot. With a real amp and real distortion, the obsession returned. He formed his first band with friends Mark Dryer and Jeremy Slead — and when Mark heard Greg slap the bass during a jam, he suggested Greg switch for good. The bass never left his hands.
He even built his own bass from particle board and a router — affectionately called the “Les Greg.” In high school, he repaired instruments and built a working electric guitar for his senior project. After graduation, he moved to Bozeman and rejoined the band, becoming a staple of the local scene.
Today, Greg is a multi-instrumentalist, recording artist, and globally respected music educator. He began teaching lessons at age 13 (1988) and has maintained a full-time load ever since — often logging 60+ sessions a week. He’s the top-reviewed instructor on TakeLessons.com for Guitar, Bass, Ukulele, and Banjo, with thousands of students impacted by his teaching over the decades.
While Greg pioneered extended-range bass (helping define the 9-string bass in the '90s), he now plays almost exclusively 4-string bass and 6-string guitar, with his focus firmly on education. He remains proud of that early innovation era.
In the mid-1990s, Greg worked directly with luthier Bill Conklin to help define what would become the modern 9-string bass. He proposed specs, designs, and ergonomic solutions long before these instruments were common — from string spacing and scale length to pickup configuration and playability. His input helped normalize what was once radical.
Though others later gained visibility in the ERB world, Greg’s early innovation laid the groundwork for what multi-string basses are today. He remains open to new designs, but these days his mission is about mentorship and impact.
He’s the founder of capitalFRET.com, creator of the EarPlay Academy course, and director of multiple worship and rock ensembles. His legacy isn’t just technical chops — it’s life change through music.
GregoryBruceCampbell.com
https://www.facebook.com/GregoryBruceCampbell
https://twitter.com/gbcjr1st
MANUFACTURER ENDORSEMENTS
Greg is officially endorsed by:
• Graph Tech Guitar Labs – Artist Page
• AccuGroove – Artist Page
• Bee Basses – Artist Page
• Breedlove Guitars – Artist Page
• Creation Audio Labs – Feature
• Radial Engineering – Artist Page
• SIT Strings (20+ year relationship)
• Eventide Audio
• Morley Pedals
• EBS Sweden
• Hipshot Products Inc.
• Eminence Speakers
• Italia Leather Straps
• Temple Audio Design
• Barefoot Buttons
• Gold Tone Instruments
• Beck Basses
• K&K Sound
• Covenant Cables
• G&H Plugs
• Kalium Music
• Rattlesnake Cables
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PERFORMANCES & COLLABORATIONS
Shared stage or clinics with:
Billy Sheehan, Victor Bailey, Jeff Berlin, Bob Babbitt (Motown), Brian Bromberg, Otiel Burbridge (Allman Bros), Jean Baudin, Carol Kaye (Beach Boys), Michael Manring, Doug Wimbish (Living Colour), Norm Stockton, Anthony Cox, Trip Wamsley, Gerald Veasley, Adam Nitti, and more.
Recorded or toured with:
Lester Estelle II (Pillar, Kelly Clarkson), Tim Rosenau (TobyMac), Alexandre Aposan, Dale Thompson & The Boon Dogs, Troy & Philip Thompson (Bride), Robert Coello (upcoming CCM), Greg Martin (Kentucky Headhunters), Wylie Gustafson (Wylie & the Wild West), and many others.
Opened for:
Blondie, Vince Neil, Twisted Sister, Foghat, Suzy Boggus, Emerson Drive, Psychedelic Furs
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DISCOGRAPHY HIGHLIGHTS
• Prayer Scapes Vol. 001 – Christian instrumental
• Learning Curve – 27 instrumental rock tracks
• No Brain… No Damage – Amazon
• GBC-Tronic – Amazon
• Throw Back 98 – Spotify
• Busuyi Fretless Funk Vol. I–III (2025)
• Bass Sweep Trainer
• Dale Thompson & The Boon Dogs – Girder Records
• BRIDE – Are You Awake (2023)
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CRITICAL PRAISE FOR "ARE YOU AWAKE" (BRIDE)
“I don’t think since Rik Foley has the band had such a killer, and prominently placed, bass guitar presence in the mix.”
— Heaven’s Metal Magazine
“Greg Campbell [adds] a virtuoso bass line to [the title track].”
— Angelic Warlord
“The bass jam on ‘Are You Awake’ is quite tasty… one of the high points for me.”
— The Metal Resource (Mauce.nl)
‘Trippin’... might be the album’s most commercial with its supremely engaging melody and beguiling bass line.”
— Angelic Warlord
