Craig Smith (musician)

Craig Smith
Birth nameCraig Vincent Smith
Also known asMaitreya Kali, Satya Sai Maitreya Kali
Born(1945-04-25)April 25, 1945
Los Angeles, U.S.
DiedMarch 16, 2012(2012-03-16) (aged 66)
Los Angeles, U.S.
GenresPop, psychedelic folk, rock
Occupation(s)Musician, songwriter, actor
Instrument(s)Guitar, voice
Years active1963–1972; sporadically to the late 1990s
LabelsCapitol Records, Akashic Records, United Kingdom of America Records

Craig Vincent Smith (April 25, 1945 – March 16, 2012) was an American musician, songwriter and actor. He began his career in the 1960s playing pop and folk music, and appearing on The Andy Williams Show. Smith wrote several songs that were recorded by successful artists of the time including Glen Campbell, The Monkees, and Andy Williams. After using drugs while travelling on the hippie trail, he had mental health problems which worsened over time. He released two solo albums, Apache and Inca, in the early 1970s under the names Maitreya Kali and Satya Sai Maitreya Kali. After spending nearly three years in prison for assaulting his mother, he spent the majority of the next 35 years homeless.