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Burton Cummings, OM , D.Mus (born December 31, 1947) is a Canadian musician and songwriter.
A pianist and a showman, he was the lead singer for the Canadian rock band "The Guess Who", and during his 10 years in "The Guess Who" from 1965 to 1975, he sang many well known songs, including "American Woman", "No Time", "Share the Land", "Hand Me Down World", "Undun", and "These Eyes".
Early life and education
Cummings was born and raised in the Canadian city of Winnipeg, Manitoba, as were all of the original members of "The Guess Who".
His first band was a local Winnipeg R&B group The Deverons, with an 'E', (not to be confused with the band The Devrons who had Country/R&B hits in the early 60's such as "Brand X", "Battle Him", "Lost Love", "Too Little Too Late"). He joined The Guess Who in 1965 to replace keyboardist Bob Ashley and shortly thereafter its previous lead singer, Chad Allen, left the band.
In 1970, the band hit No. 1 in America with, ironically, "American Woman", a song not about a woman but about the United States' militaristic ways and societal problems.
Ultimately, Burton's partying ways and Randy Bachman's more pious lifestyle caused a serious rift in the band. Randy went on to form the band Bachman Turner Overdrive and charted hits such as "Taking Care of Business" and "You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet".
In 1975, after 10 years, Burton left The Guess Who to become a solo artist and The Guess Who carried on under management of bassist Jim Kale.
Solo hits in Canada included "Stand Tall", "I'm Scared", "Break it to Them Gently", and "Fine State of Affairs". Cummings charted outside Canada with "Stand Tall" and "You Saved My Soul".
Cummings ultimately made the move to Sherman Oaks California and began writing and singing for films in the late 1970's. He currently Winters in California and returns to Winnipeg in the Summer, living in Canada through the Autumn. He co-starred in the movie "Melanie".
In 2000, Cummings, Bachman and original drummer Garry Peterson toured as The Guess Who. Bassist Jim Kale played one show and former Guess Who sidemen Donnie McDougall and Bill Wallace re-joined the line-up through the remainder of the tour in Canada and later in the U.S.
Cummings purchased Winnipeg's "Salisbury House" restaurant chain with manager Lorne Saifer and a few other local celebrities, and toured with the re-united The Guess Who from 2000 through the summer of 2003. In 2001, Burton and the rest of The Guess Who received honorary doctorates at Brandon University in Brandon, Manitoba. Cummings also received The Order of Manitoba Award. Most recently, the band played at the so-called "SARSstock" concert in Toronto. On November 23rd, 2004, Burton Cummings' new single "With God On Our Side" debuted at 21st spot on a Canadian music internet music chart. "With God On Our Side" is a cover of the famous Bob Dylan song.
Cummings continues to work on releasing a new album, plays occasional shows with Randy Bachman as The Bachman-Cummings Band, featuring The Carpet Frogs, a band from Toronto and makes occasional appearances at various Canadian casinos as a solo performer. The Bachman-Cummings Band have released a compilation album titled the Bachman Cummings Song Book featuring hits from The Guess Who, Bachman-Turner Overdrive and Cummings' solo career. The have also released an album titled The Thunderbird Trax, which is an album that Cummings and Bachman recorded in Bachman's toolshed in British Columbia in 1987, this album was previously never released for the general public, and in 2006 was finally released for sale exclusively at Bachman-Cummings concerts, and not online or in stores.
Solo Albums
- 1976 Burton Cummings
- 1977 My Own Way To Rock
- 1979 Dream Of A Child
- 1980 Woman Love
- 1980 Best of Burton Cummings
- 1981 Sweet Sweet
- 1984 Heart
- 1990 Plus Signs
- 1994 The Burton Cummings Collection
- 1997 Up Close and Alone
- 2006 Bachman-Cummings Songbook - Compilation that features tracks from the Guess Who, Burton Cummings, and Bachman-Turner Overdrive
- 2006 The Thunderbird Trax - A compilation of previously unreleased material recorded by Bachman and Cummings in Bachman's tool shed back in 1987
Singles
- 1976 Stand Tall
- 1977 I'm Scared
- 1977 Never Had A Lady Before/Timeless Love
- 1977 My Own Way To Rock
- 1978 Your Back Yard
- 1978 Break It To Them Gently
- 1979 I Will Play A Rhapsody
- 1979 It Takes a Fool To Love A Fool
- 1979 Draggin' 'Em Down The Line
- 1980 Fine State Of Affairs
- 1980 Mile A Second
- 1980 One And Only
- 1981 Heavenly Blue
- 1981 You Saved My Soul
- 1982 Mother Keep Your Daughter In
- 1990 One Day Soon
- 1990 Take One Away
- 1990 Free
- 2004 With God On Our Side
External links
1947 births | Living people | Canadian male singers | Canadian rock singers | Genie Award winners | Winnipeggers | Manitoba musicians | Members of the Order of Manitoba
"Burton Cummings"