“I never want to be boastful – I don’t like being the center of attention. Even my guitar playing is like that”: Cameron Griffin has gone from construction worker to UCLA linebacker and, now, a multi-platinum producer and guitarist
Cameron Griffin has gone from working in construction to being a Grammy nominee for his work on Coco Jones’ 2022 EP, What I Didn’t Tell You. That’s pretty astounding, and he’s enjoyed the ride, but he remains tempered.
“Being recognized is amazing,” he says. “But I don’t like how the music business is. To be successful, you’ve gotta be like John Mayer, but I have other dreams. I play guitar, but I’m not a ‘guitar player.’ I’m Cameron, who plays guitar.”
The fact that Griffin doesn’t wholly identify as a guitar player – despite having worked with Usher, Chris Brown and others – seems hard to fathom.
“All of this – writing songs, guitar and producing – came suddenly,” he says. “I never thought about any of it until about four years ago.”
“To be successful, you’ve gotta be like John Mayer, but I have other dreams,” Cameron Griffin says (Image credit: Press)
Four years ago, Griffin was a Los Angeles kid playing linebacker at UCLA and strumming his guitar in a dorm room. He’d been at it for years, but guitar was just a hobby, not his life’s work. Or so he thought.
“It was Covid,” he says. “My stuff with Summer Walker [Secret by 21 Savage feat. Summer Walker] came out in 2020 — and then all these opportunities came along. I evaluated the life I wanted and the trajectory. Once I jumped, I spent a lot of time and energy on it. But Covid was the push; I went for it after that.”
21 Savage - Secret ft Summer Walker (Official Audio) - YouTube
Griffin is even-keeled for someone who’s had sudden success. He attributes this to keeping things “smooth and intentional,” adding, “I never want to be boastful; I don’t like being the center of attention. Even my guitar playing is like that – lots of melody and nice chords; nothing crazy.”
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Ready or not, Griffin is in the spotlight. “The Grammys are huge,” he says. “I went from construction work to this… It’s an honor, but life isn’t about wins and losses. It’s about looking forward.
“It’s easy to get distracted. I reached my goals quickly, but I’m not restricting myself, and I’ll focus not just on guitar but all aspects of my business. It’s going to be interesting.”
Axology
GUITARS Mario Martin T-Style, Gretsch [G6659TG] Broadkaster Jr., Fender Custom Shop ’60s Fender Strat
AMPS Bad Cat Black Cat 1x12
EFFECTS Eventide H90 [Harmonizer], Line 6 HX One [Adriatic Delay], Eventide H9 [Max Harmonizer], J. Rockett Audio Designs Tim Pierce [Signature Overdrive]
Andrew Daly is an iced-coffee-addicted, oddball Telecaster-playing, alfredo pasta-loving journalist from Long Island, NY, who, in addition to being a contributing writer for Guitar World, scribes for Rock Candy, Bass Player, Total Guitar, and Classic Rock History. Andrew has interviewed favorites like Ace Frehley, Johnny Marr, Vito Bratta, Bruce Kulick, Joe Perry, Brad Whitford, Rich Robinson, and Paul Stanley, while his all-time favorite (rhythm player), Keith Richards, continues to elude him.
