Wes demonstrated an interest in drums since the age of four and began his professional career after graduating with a B.S. in Psychology at Virginia Tech. Soon thereafter, he began performing drumset with the extraordinary Jazz / R&B singer Jane L. Powell, a musical association that lasted eleven years and continues as a managerial relationship. The group toured throughout the United States, Canada, and the Caribbean performing at festivals, universities, resorts, nightclubs, and on cruise ships. They opened for acts such as Ray Charles, Melba Moore, Freddie Jackson, Lou Rawls, The Crusaders, Joan Jett, Ernie Watts, and Paula Poundstone, and occasionally performed alongside artists such as Tony Bennett, O.C. Smith, and Dorothy Moore, as well as being featured with various symphonies. The 1,300 colleges and universities comprising the National Assocation for Campus Activities voted the group Entertainer of the Year in 1990, their highest honor, and Jazz Artist of the Year for 1990-1992. During these years of touring, Wes also recorded two albums with Ms. Powell as well as several outside projects including his own "Rap-Along" album, a creativity and esteem building recording designed for teenagers. Wes also conducted electronic percussion seminars at VA Tech and at the Virginia Governor's School for the Gifted.
In 1992, Wes settled with his family in the Washington, D.C. area as an independent artist on drumset and percussion where he currently performs and records with acts such as Shahin and Sepehr (Higher Octave/Virgin world beat artists), Cocktail Nuts (aka "C-Nuts" - jazz versions of rock classics, on WildChild/ Mapleshade Records), mrudangam virtuoso Umayalpuram K. Sivaraman (including a clinic at PASIC 2000 and a featured performance at Baltimore Drum Day 2000), Squeeze Bayou (1998 winners of the "Best Non-Louisiana-Based Cajun Band Recording" awarded by the Cajun French Music Association), and Fresh Air (horn-driven variety band). Wes has also regularly performed and /or recorded with Sound Connection (high energy show band), Aisha Kahlil (of Sweet Honey in the Rock), Eva Cassidy, Al Williams, Mary Ann Redmond Band, Catalyst Events, Zydeco Crayz, Bob Margolis, "Oh Susannah!", Jack's Mission, Sugar Jones, Mystic Warriors, Cantare, Classical and Jazz pianist Jeffrey Chappell, Bay Jazz Project, and Armadillo recording artist Daryl Davis. His other noteworthy performances and recordings include those with the David Bach Consort (2nd place winner in the 1998 BET unsigned band video contest), Hennesy Jazz Search regional winner Jerry Gordon, African Continuum Theatre Company's "Hubert & Charlie", and performances with Milestone recording artist Ron Holloway. Additionally, Wes has also recorded for The History Channel and for PBS.
Wes considers education to be an important link to the future of the percussive arts and teaches drumset privately and at Goucher College in Baltimore, MD. He also performs in school assemblies with Cindy Rosenberg's Mosaic, which provided the musical instruction and curriculum for the 2000 Maryland Artist/Teacher Institute. Wes is the director of the Drumset and Percussion Camp, a part of the annual Goucher Summer Arts Institute. His latest projects are his interactive "A Rhythmic Murder Mystery" CD, which he also performs live, as well as the "Wes Crawford's Drumset Play-Along DVD". Wes is currently serving as Vice-President of the MD/DE chapter of the Percussive Arts Society and works as a musical consultant for Sustainable Environments for Health and Shelter (SEH+S) .
Wes endorses drums handcrafted by Keith Larsen, formerly of Baltimore Drum USA and now the drum designer for Maryland Drum Company as well as Trueline Drumsticks.
