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Burton L. Cummings, OC, OM (born December 31, 1947, in Winnipeg, Manitoba) is a Canadian musician and songwriter.
He was the lead singer and frequent keyboardist for the Canadian rock band The Guess Who. During his 10 years in The Guess Who, from 1965 to 1975, he sang and wrote or co-wrote many songs including "American Woman," "No Time," "Share the Land," "Hand Me Down World," "Undun," "Laughing," "Star Baby", "New Mother Nature," and "These Eyes." His solo career includes many Canadian singles including "Stand Tall", "My Own Way to Rock" and "You Saved My Soul."
Cummings was born and raised in the Canadian city of Winnipeg, Manitoba, as were all of the other original members of The Guess Who, and attended St. John's High School. 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 1960s). The Deverons with Cummings released two singles on the tiny REO Records label. The first single, "Blue Is The Night / She's Your Lover", was cut in a Winnipeg radio station. The second single, "Lost Love / Feel Alright", was recorded at Kay Bank Studios in Minneapolis, where The Guess Who frequently recorded. He joined The Guess Who in 1965 to replace keyboardist Bob Ashley and shortly thereafter its previous lead singer, Chad Allan, left the band.
Cummings also tried his hand at acting. He appeared alongside Paul Sorvino, Glynnis O'Connor and Don Johnson in the 1982 film Melanie.
Between 1966 and 1969, The Guess Who were one of the hardest working-bands in Canada. Despite having released several strong singles, a hugely successful split LP ("A Wild Pair", which also featured Ottawa's The Stacattos), and a weekly stint as house band on CBC-TV's "Let's Go!", mainstream success eluded them.
In 1969 The Guess Who scored an international hit with "These Eyes", co-written by Cummings and guitarist Randy Bachman. It was followed up by hit "Laughing", again written by Cummings and Bachman. Another Guess Who song, "Undun", featured Cummings on a jazzy flute solo. In 1970, the band hit no. 1 in Canada with "American Woman."
Ultimately, conflict between Cummings and bandmate Randy Bachman—partially ignited by Bachman's then-deepening Mormon religious beliefs—caused a rift in the band. Bachman left and went on to form the band Brave Belt with former Guess Who mate Chad Allan, and later Bachman–Turner Overdrive.
Cummings became the band's leader and recorded songs that included "Share the Land," "Hand Me Down World," "Albert Flasher," "Rain Dance," "Sour Suite," "Glamour Boy," "Star Baby," "Clap for the Wolfman," and "Dancin' Fool."
Going solo
In 1975 Cummings left The Guess Who after 10 years, to become a solo artist, The group disbanded. One of his first projects included providing back-up vocals on Eric Carmen's second solo LP, Boats Against the Current, including "She Did It."
Cummings' subsequent solo hits in Canada included "Stand Tall," his biggest American solo hit, peaking at #10, "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." His Dream of a Child album released in 1978 was the biggest Canadian album in history at that time. Cummings released a total of eight solo albums and collections from 1976 to 1990. In 1997 he released a live compilation album of his solo performances entitled Up Close and Alone.
Cummings became a resident of Sherman Oaks, California, and began writing and singing for films in the late 1970s. He currently winters in California and returns to Winnipeg in the summer, living in Canada throughout autumn. Besides his music, Cummings purchased Winnipeg's "Salisbury House" restaurant chain with manager Lorne Saifer and is an avid comic book collector.
For several years Cummings has been active on My Space, blogging and posting music and photos. As of June 25, 2010, he unveiled a new website where you can stream all his music and where he will continue his blog – http://www.burtoncummings.net
The Guess Who returns
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. The reformed The Guess Who toured with Cummings from 2000 through to the summer of 2003. In 2001 Cummings and the rest of The Guess Who received honorary doctorates at Brandon University in Brandon, Manitoba. Cummings was also made a member of the Order of Manitoba. In 2003, the band played at the so-called "SARSstock" concert in Toronto.
Bachman-Cummings
Cummings 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 songs from The Guess Who, Bachman–Turner Overdrive and Cummings' solo career. They 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. Previously unreleased until 2006, it was made available exclusively at Bachman-Cummings concerts, and is now available on the Bachman-Cummings website.
The Bachman-Cummings First Time Around CBC TV Special was released on DVD in November 2006 on the Sony BMG label. In June 2007, Bachman and Cummings released an album titled Jukebox that covered various songs from the 1960s that influenced them. A follow-up album to Jukebox as well as a television special have also been discussed.
They last played together in 2009 at Casino Rama in Orillia, Ontario. Bachman has since rejoined with CF Turner and Cummings has toured on his own with the Carpet Frogs.
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