Burton Cummings

Between 1966 and 1968, The Guess Who was one of the hardest-working bands in Canada. Despite having released several strong singles that charted in Canada, a hugely successful split LP (A Wild Pair, which also featured Ottawa's The Stacattos who would later become Five Man Electrical Band), and a weekly stint as house band on CBC-TV's Let's Go!, mainstream success eluded them until early 1969. That year, The Guess Who scored an international hit with "These Eyes", co-written by Cummings and guitarist Randy Bachman. It was followed up by the hit "Laughing", which recorded a million radio plays, again written by Cummings and Bachman. Cummings revealed in a Howard Stern radio interview that he and Bachman had written "Laughing" in 20 minutes while on their bus on the ferry from Vancouver to Vancouver Island. Another Guess Who song, "Undun", written by Bachman, featured Cummings on a jazzy flute solo. In 1970, the band hit No. 1 in both Canada and the U.S. with the Bachman-Cummings-Kale-Peterson composition "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.[7] Bachman left and went on to form the band Brave Belt with former Guess Who mate Chad Allan, and later Bachman–Turner Overdrive.

Cummings then 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".

In October 1975 Cummings left The Guess Who after 10 years to become a solo artist, and the group disbanded. One of his first projects was providing back-up vocals on Eric Carmen's second solo LP, Boats Against the Current, including "She Did It". In 1977 he was presented with a Juno Award as best male vocalist.[8]

Cummings' subsequent hits in Canada included "Stand Tall," which was his greatest American solo hit, peaking at #10 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number two on the Adult Contemporary chart.[9] Other hits included "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," as well as "I Will Play a Rhapsody," which spent a few weeks on the Billboard Adult Contemporary Chart, peaking at #38. His Dream of a Child album, released in 1978, was the biggest Canadian album in history at that time going triple platinum.[10] Cummings released a total of eight solo albums and collections from 1976 to 1994.[11] In 1997 he put out a live compilation album of his 2 solo performances of Dec 20 & 22nd 1995 titled Up Close and Alone, which was recorded at the Glenn Gould Theatre CBC building with producer Mark Berry in Toronto.[12]

Cummings also tried his hand at acting. Along with Paul Sorvino, Glynnis O'Connor and Don Johnson, he appeared in the 1982 Canadian film Melanie.[13] His songs "You Saved My Soul," "Real Good," and "Something Old, Something New" were featured in the film, and were also included on his 1981 album Sweet Sweet, which was released prior to the film.

Cummings became a resident of Sherman Oaks, California, and began writing and singing for films in the late 1970s. He currently resides in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan.[14] Cummings purchased part of Winnipeg's Salisbury House restaurant chain with manager Lorne Saifer, and is also an avid comic book collector.

In 2000 Cummings, Bachman, and original drummer Garry Peterson toured as The Guess Who. Bassist Jim Kale played one show and later Guess Who members Donnie McDougall and Bill Wallace rejoined the line-up through the remainder of the tour in Canada and later in the U.S. The reformed 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. That year Cummings won three SOCAN Classic Awards,[15][16] and was also made a member of the Order of Manitoba. In 2003, the band played at the so-called "SARSstock" concert in Toronto.

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.[17] They last played together in 2009 at Casino Rama in Orillia, Ontario. Bachman has since rejoined with CF Turner. The last show of Bachman Cummings was summer of 2009 at a club now called Rebel and was for a private party and included the Carpet Frogs as the band.

During July 2019 Bachman and Cummings reunited for a one shot concert with no backing band at Casa Loma in Toronto, as a benefit for Canada's Walk of Fame. [18]

Later that summer Bachman attended Cummings' show at the CNE bandshell and played with Cummings and his band for three songs, American Woman, No Time and Takin' Care of Business. This has led to speculation, including from Cummings himself, of a possible Bachman Cummings tour in 2020.[19]

Cummings has toured solo as a one-man-band and with his back-up band, the Carpet Frogs of Toronto as of NYE 1999 when they played McPhillips Street station Casino Winnipeg, as the Burton Cummings Band or simply Burton Cummings in both Canada and the U.S. In 2012 Cummings released a new live CD Burton Cummings Live at Massey Hall recorded live on September 29, 2011. The album captures Cummings' live show of the last several years. Cummings continues to play live shows and already has some scheduled in 2020.

In 2019 he released three singles, available on streaming services and for digital download only. They are Market My Letters, A Few Good Moments and Sanity.

Outside of his work with Bachman, in November 2004 Cummings released a single "With God on Our Side", a cover of the famous Bob Dylan song. The single debuted at the 21st spot on the Canadian music internet music chart.[20]

On November 4, 2008, Cummings released his first solo album of new studio material in 18 years titled Above the Ground. The album has 19 tracks of original songs written by Cummings, some of which were written by him many years ago. The album was recorded with his touring band The Carpet Frogs. The release also includes a DVD with a behind-the-scenes look at the recording process. The first single from the album was "We Just Came from the U.S.A." Originally a Canadian-only release, Above the Ground is now available at Burton Cummings' website and on iTunes.

The Burton Cummings Theatre, located in downtown Winnipeg, is named after Cummings.

Cummings performing with his band at Mohegan Sun Casino in Connecticut, on July 2, 2011—this was the first concert of his U.S. tour

On December 30, 2009, Cummings was named an officer of the Order of Canada by Governor General Michaëlle Jean. The Order of Canada is one of the country's highest civilian honours, and was established in 1967 to mark a lifetime of outstanding achievement, dedication to community, and service to the nation.[21]

On the November 23, 2010 morning show episode of Canada AM, Cummings announced that he would be releasing a book of poetry in 2011, mentioning that he had been working on it for the past three years. He stated that the works of Kipling, Keats and Edgar Allan Poe were great inspirations to him during the writing process, adding, "I like to be influenced by the best." The collection, titled The Writings of B. L. Cummings, was released in mid-2017 and sold out. A second edition is in the works as of June 2017.[22]

On June 28, 2011, it was announced that Cummings will receive a star on Canada's Walk of Fame and will be inducted on October 1 at Elgin Theatre in Toronto. He previously received a star as part of The Guess Who in 2001.[23]

In 2016 Burton Cummings was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame. In 2018 Burton Cummings was awarded a lifetime achievement award from SOCAN for his songwriting.

Burton Cummings married Cheryl DeLuca on September 22, 1981, at a small ceremony at old city hall in Toronto. He lived in Los Angeles for many years until moving to Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan in 2017.[24]

On May 18, 2018, while driving in Los Angeles, Cummings was involved in a collision with another car. Cummings wrote on his Facebook page that he suffered minor cuts to his arms and a severe concussion. The other driver ran a red light, as proven by neighbouring security cameras, with his family and child in the car, and broadsided Cummings, forcing Cummings' car into a street pole. Though he was wearing a seat belt, Cummings hit his head on the windshield. Cummings has said in interviews that he frequently relived the crash and was considering therapy. Cummings returned to playing concerts in mid-June 2018.[25][26]

From October to December 2019, Cummings toured Western Canada and Ontario performing his Up Close and Alone show, performing on stage with no backing band. On some Ontario shows, his backing band, The Carpet Frogs, did appear, but as the opening act, performing an acoustic set. Solo performer Spencer Burton opened some shows as well.

Shows were consistently sold out, with second shows being added in some cities. He performed many of his solo and Guess Who hits, along with songs from Gerry and the Pacemakers, Bobby Darin and The Platters. In some shows he performed Running Bear, the Johnny Preston song, that had been covered by the Guess Who on the album Rockin'. [27][28][29]

• California Dreaming (1978)
  • "Among the Yesterdays" (Music by Fred Karlin / Lyrics by Robb Royer)
  • "Keep it in the Family" (Music and Lyric by Cummings)
• Voices (1979)
  • "I Will Always Wait For You (Theme From Voices)" (Written by Jimmy Webb)
  • "On a Stage" (Written by Jimmy Webb)
  • "Drunk as a Punk" (Written by Jimmy Webb)
• Melanie (1982)
  • "You Saved My Soul" (Written by Cummings)
  • "Real Good" (Written by Cummings)
  • "Something Old, Something New" (Written by Cummings)

• 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 circa 1987
• 2007 Jukebox – Bachman & Cummings album that features covers of songs by artists such as Bob Dylan, The Shadows and The Beatles