Michael Thomas Camp

Michael Thomas Camp, 56, of San Antonio, formally of Austin, passed away in his sleep this past Saturday, August 27, 2016. He was born on November 7, 1959, to Melvin Joseph Camp, Sr. and Shirley Marie Grubb Camp. He is survived by his son Austin Michael Camp and daughter Madison Lee Camp; parents Melvin and Shirley Camp, sisters, Patricia Berry and Catherine Jewel; and brothers, Joe Camp, John Camp, and Mark Camp. He was Uncle Mike to 10 nieces and nephews and 8 grandnieces and nephews.

Michael had been in the studio recording five of his songs recently and had written a Singer/Songwriter note to accompany his first release. Nothing can explain his life here on Earth more eloquently.

Michael Camp ~ Singer/Songwriter

I was born in San Antonio, Texas, and after living around the world in places like Japan and Thailand, and then short stints in various locales around the United States, I am now back in San Antonio. Because of my father’s many transfers as a career military man, I never really had a chance to develop many lifelong friends. My parents, brothers and sisters, and my children of course, are my closest friends. My father taught me early on that while most friends tend to come and go “family is forever”. With that being said, there are a handful of people in my life who are as much a part of my family as my own flesh and blood and I am grateful for every single one of them.

It was in Thailand, when I joined the choir and began singing. My interest in music was quickly advanced following a stop at a music store after Church one day to buy my brother some new guitar stings for his acoustic guitar. Before we left the store that day, my father ended up buying two electric Yamaha guitars and am amplifier for me and my older brother Joe, a drum set for my younger brother John, and a microphone that I just had to have. Shortly thereafter, we returned to the states where I began playing solo acts in bars for spare change, and then later with a band for what I thought was real money at the time. By the way, it is true what they say, chicks really dig musicians! I spent every weekend as a teenager over at my brother-in-law Kenny Chandler’s house picking guitar and singing, and during that time my passion for music intensified and I grew enormously as a guitar player and singer.

My whole family still likes to sit on the porch and sing songs when we all end up in Austin at my parents’ home. From my nephew Keith, to my brother Joe and some of our closest friends, it is always a good time and not unusual at all for the party to run into the early hours of the morning. I am very proud to say that my son Austin is now an accomplished guitar player and singer in his own right, and currently plays in a band called “The Orange” out of Dallas, Texas. My daughter Madison has the voice of an Angel and makes any song she sings seem magical. As such, both of my kids have assured our family’s tradition of music will continue through the next generation.

I began writing songs as a teenager and my music has been influenced by life, love, family, God, pain and pleasure, and a number of “old school” country artists. I was probably born 30 years too late, as my musical influences are artists such as Merle Haggard, Johnny Cash, Roger Miller, Floyd Cramer, Glen Campbell, George Jones, Buck Owens, Ray Charles, Willie Nelson, and Ray Price. I used to fall asleep in Thailand listening to these artists on a high end reel-to-reel stereo system, and that is precisely where my love for music all started as a child. Later in life, artists like the Eagles, ZZ Top, Marshall Tucker, James Taylor and John Denver helped shape both my guitar playing and song writing.

My goal, when I write a song, is to share an emotion or an experience with my audience and have them feel something personal as a result, to relate to my songs in such a way that they can actually visualize what I am singing about. I currently have a repertoire of some six dozen original songs that I hope will do just that.

Hello…my name is Michael Camp and I look forward to getting to know you through my songs.

We know Michael will always be with us. He will “sing us back home” to be with him forever.

A Celebration of Michael’s Life will be at 1:00 P.M., Saturday, September 3, 2016, in the Chapel of Cook-Walden/Forest Oaks Funeral Home.

In lieu of flowers, the family would like contributions to be made in Michael’s memory to your favorite charity or to the Michael Camp Living Trust Fund, Dykema Cox Smith, Attn.: Erin Camp, 112 E. Pecan Street, Suite 1800, San Antonio, Texas, 78205.