Craig Minowa
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Craig Minowa | |
|---|---|
 Craig Minowa in 2004 | |
| Born | Craig Richardson |
| Occupation | Musician |
| Years active | 1995-present |
| Known for | Cloud Cult |
Craig Minowa is a singer, songwriter, and composer best known as the frontman for the alternative rock band Cloud Cult.[1] He is also the founder of Earthology Records. Minowa was born Craig Richardson and grew up in Owatonna, Minnesota.[2]
Minowa was a self-described "astronomy geek" in elementary school who memorized the diameter of planets.[3] Throughout his childhood, the family's living room was dominated not by a television, but by a piano which his mother would often play for Minowa and his sisters. "I think it distilled a lifelong feeling in me that you can make your own entertainment, and you can also sculpt your own mood by what you choose to create," he said.[4] Minowa was heavily bullied in school but found comfort in writing music at a young age.
Minowa's spiritual interests were informed by his early childhood experiences growing up in a small rural prominently Christian town but extend into teen and young adult experiences with Buddhism, Taoism, Eckankar and Native American explorations . When he was 16, rather than meeting his family at church on Easter Sunday as planned, Minowa went out into the woods. "And I sat out there — a beautiful spring morning, everything coming to life, and had a religious experience that I hadn’t ever felt within those four walls of the church. And magic was reborn in me."[3]
Minowa has a B.S. in environmental science from the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities.[5] He recalls trying to decide in college whether to major in environmental science or music composition. Ultimately, he decided that focusing on music was too selfish, and that he could do more good for the world with an environmental science degree.[3] He'd later learn the two professions could be meshed together.
