Burton Cummings
Template:Short description Template:Distinguish Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox musical artist Burton Lorne Cummings Template:Post-nominals (born December 31, 1947) is a Canadian musician and songwriter. He led the Guess Who during that band's most successful period from 1965 to 1975, and has since had a lengthy solo career.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Cummings has been inducted into the Canadian Music Industry Hall of Fame and the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame, and has been cited as one of the most influential performers in Canadian rock music.<ref name=":2">Template:Cite web</ref> He has also been named as an officer of the Order of Canada and Order of Manitoba.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The Burton Cummings Theatre and Burton Cummings Community Centre in Winnipeg are named in his honour.<ref name="HBC">Template:Cite web</ref>
Career
Early years
Cummings was born and raised in Winnipeg by his mother and maternal grandparents, after his father left the family during his infancy.<ref>Mike Doherty. "Burton Cummings, Poet and Player." Maclean's Magazine, October 30, 2012. [1]</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He attended St. John's High School but dropped out at age 17 to pursue a career in music.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The school granted him an honorary diploma in 2010.<ref>"Guess Who Finally Graduated?" Macleans, July 19, 2010, p. 10.</ref>
In 1964, Cummings joined local R&B band the Deverons (not to be confused with an American group called the Devrons) on piano and vocals. The Deverons released two singles locally in Winnipeg.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In early 1966, shortly after his 18th birthday, Cummings joined another regionally successful band, Chad Allan & The Expressions, to replace departed keyboardist Bob Ashley.<ref name="Einarson, John pp. 35">Einarson, John. American Woman: The Story of The Guess Who; Quarry Press, Ontario, Canada, pp. 35–39</ref> Cummings also took on lead vocal duties in conjunction with group leader Chad Allan.<ref name="canadianbands.com">Template:Cite web</ref>
This group had been subjected to a record company publicity stunt in which their 1965 hit single "Shakin' All Over" was released anonymously with the message "Guess Who?" to trick listeners into thinking it was by a famous British Invasion band.<ref name="Einarson, John pp. 35" /> Disc jockeys announced the single as being by someone called "Guess Who?", forcing the group to accept the nickname; their latest releases had been issued under the name Chad Allan & The Expressions with "Guess Who?" displayed prominently on the covers.<ref name="Johnson2014">"American Woman". Template:Cite book</ref>
With the Guess Who
Template:Main A few months after Cummings joined Chad Allan & the Expressions, Allan left his namesake band, leaving Cummings as the sole singer.<ref name="canadianbands.com"/><ref name="Metzer2008">Template:Cite book</ref> The band's name was changed to simply the Guess Who, with Cummings becoming one of the band's primary songwriters in conjunction with guitarist Randy Bachman. Their first album under this name was It's Time in the summer of 1966.<ref>Template:AllMusic</ref>
The band became internationally successful upon the release of their album American Woman in 1970, which reached the top ten in several countries and made the Guess Who the first Canadian band to achieve a number one single in the United States.<ref name="bill">Template:Cite book</ref> Bachman then left the Guess Who, and Cummings continued to lead the band through several more internationally successful albums.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Cummings and drummer Garry Peterson were the only consistent members of the band during this era. Cummings disbanded the Guess Who in 1975 due to songwriting disagreements with guitarist Dominic Troiano.<ref name="Einarson, John pp. 35" />
Solo career
After leaving The Guess Who, Cummings embarked on a solo career; his self-titled debut solo album was released in 1976 and reached the top ten on the Canadian albums chart.<ref name=":0">Template:Citation</ref> The single "Stand Tall" was an international hit and sold more than one million copies in the United States.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref> In 1977, he was presented with a Juno Award as best male vocalist.<ref name="Inc.1977">Template:Cite magazine</ref> Also in 1977, he provided backing vocals for the Eric Carmen album Boats Against the Current,<ref>Template:Citation</ref> and released his second solo album My Own Way to Rock.<ref>Template:Citation</ref>
His 1978 album, Dream of a Child, sold more than 300,000 copies in Canada, making it one of the country's highest-selling albums up to that point.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Due to a dispute with his record label, his 1980 album Woman Love was not released in the United States but was another substantial hit in Canada that earned Cummings another Juno Award.<ref>Template:Citation</ref> The 1981 album Sweet Sweet was much less successful.<ref name=":0" /> Cummings also dabbled in acting during this period, with an appearance in the film Melanie in 1982.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Cummings joined a short reunion tour of the classic Guess Who lineup in 1983,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> which resulted in the live album Together Again! (known as The Best of The Guess Who - Live! in the United States).<ref>Template:Citation</ref> The solo albums Heart (1984) and Plus Signs (1990) were moderately successful in Canada.<ref name=":0" />
After an extended break from recording, Cummings released the live album Up Close and Alone in 1997, featuring songs from throughout his career performed on solo piano.<ref>Template:Citation</ref> Cummings then convened another reunion of The Guess Who for an extensive nostalgia tour from 2000 to 2003. In July 2003 the group performed before an estimated audience of 450,000 at the Molson Canadian Rocks for Toronto SARS benefit concert. The show was the largest outdoor ticketed event in Canadian history.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
In 2004, Cummings released the one-off single "With God on Our Side", a Bob Dylan cover, which reached no. 29 on the Canadian singles chart.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 2006, Cummings and Randy Bachman started a new duo project backed by the Canadian rock band The Carpet Frogs, but were unable to use the name The Guess Who, which had been trademarked by bassist Jim Kale.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The project became known as the Bachman-Cummings Band or simply Bachman-Cummings, and performs occasionally whenever both men are available.<ref name=":1">Template:Cite magazine</ref> They released the covers album Jukebox in 2007<ref>Template:Citation</ref> and most recently performed live in 2020.<ref name=":1" /> They have been selected to perform for a celebration of Manitoba's 150th anniversary, to take place after delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.<ref name="MB150">Template:Cite web</ref>
The Carpet Frogs have also served as Cummings's solo band. In 2008, Cummings released his first all-new solo album in 18 years, Above the Ground.<ref>Template:Citation</ref> In 2017 he released a book of poetry titled The Writings of B. L. Cummings.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> He returned to solo performances in 2019, with shows featuring cover songs and original songs from throughout his career with The Guess Who and as a solo artist.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> His latest album, A Few Good Moments, was released on September 26, 2024.
In 2025, Cummings announced his "A Few Good Moments" tour would perform at 22 locations in Canada and the United States, including Line Spike 2025 in Harrowsmith, Ontario.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Awards
Throughout his career, Cummings has won five RPM Awards, six Juno Awards, 22 SOCAN Awards, three BMI America Awards, and a Genie Award.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
In 2001, Cummings and the rest of The Guess Who received honorary doctorates from Manitoba's Brandon University, which Cummings considered a singular honour as a high school dropout.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> That year Cummings also won three SOCAN Classic Awards.<ref name="Inc.2001">Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref>Template:Usurped. Chart Attack, November 20, 2001</ref>
On December 30, 2009, Cummings was named an officer of the Order of Canada by Governor General Michaëlle Jean, to mark a lifetime of outstanding achievement, dedication to community, and service to the nation.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> On June 28, 2011, Cummings was awarded with a star on Canada's Walk of Fame; he had previously received a star as a member of The Guess Who in 2001.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 2016,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and received a SOCAN lifetime achievement award in 2018.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Personal life
Cummings married Cheryl DeLuca on September 22, 1981. They separated in 2021. They had no children.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He lived in Sherman Oaks, California, for many years until moving to Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, in 2017.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He is part owner of the Winnipeg-based restaurant chain Salisbury House.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In May 2018, Cummings was involved in a serious car crash in Los Angeles that required physical and mental therapy and the cancellation of several weeks of performances.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Discography
Albums
| Year | Album | Chart positions | CRIA | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CAN | AUS<ref name=aus>Template:Cite book</ref> | US | |||
| 1976 | Burton Cummings | 5 | 32 | 30 | 2× Platinum |
| 1977 | My Own Way to Rock | 4 | 83 | 51 | 2× Platinum |
| 1978 | Dream of a Child | 11 | — | 203 | 3× Platinum |
| 1980 | Woman Love | 4 | — | — | Platinum |
| The Best of Burton Cummings | — | — | — | 2× Platinum | |
| 1981 | Sweet Sweet | 36 | — | — | Gold |
| 1984 | Heart | 89 | — | — | — |
| 1990 | Plus Signs | 43 | — | — | Gold |
| 1994 | The Burton Cummings Collection | — | — | — | — |
| 1996 | Up Close and Alone | 29 | — | — | Platinum |
| 2008 | Above the Ground | 16 | — | — | — |
| 2012 | Massey Hall | — | — | — | — |
| 2024 | A Few Good Moments | — | — | — | — |
Singles
| Year | Single | Chart positions | Album | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CAN AC | CAN | CAN Country | US <ref>Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955-1990 - Template:ISBN</ref> |
US AC <ref>Template:Cite book</ref> |
US Country | AU<ref name=aus/> | |||
| 1976 | "Stand Tall" | 1 | 4 | — | 10 | 2 | — | 5 | Burton Cummings |
| 1977 | "I'm Scared" | 6 | 43 | — | 61 | 10 | — | 69 | |
| "Timeless Love" | 13 | 44 | — | — | 23 | — | 81 | My Own Way to Rock | |
| "My Own Way to Rock" | — | 38 | — | 74 | — | — | — | ||
| "Your Back Yard" | — | 63 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1978 | "Break It to Them Gently" | 1 | 9 | — | 85 | — | — | — | Dream of a Child |
| 1979 | "I Will Play a Rhapsody" | 3 | 20 | — | — | 38 | — | — | |
| "Takes a Fool to Love a Fool" | — | — | 19 | — | — | 33 | — | ||
| "Meanin' So Much" | 14 | 75 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Draggin' 'Em Down the Line (Live with Henry Small)" | 33 | 85 | — | — | — | — | — | single only | |
| 1980 | "Fine State of Affairs" | 30 | 10 | — | — | — | — | — | Woman Love |
| "One and Only" | 48 | 78 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1981 | "You Saved My Soul" | 12 | 31 | — | 37 | 22 | — | 47 | Sweet Sweet |
| 1982 | "Mother Keep Your Daughters In" | 24 | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| "Something Old, Something New" | 26 | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1984 | "Love Dream" | 23 | — | — | — | — | — | — | Heart |
| 1985 | "Whatever Happened to Your Eyes" | 27 | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 1990 | "Take One Away" | 6 | 16 | — | — | — | — | — | Plus Signs |
| "One Day Soon" | 27 | 60 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "The Rock's Steady" | — | 97 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Free" | 9 | 72 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2004 | "With God on Our Side/The Brycer" | — | 29 | — | — | — | — | — | single only |
| 2008 | "We Just Came from the U.S.A." | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Above the Ground |
| "Dream" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2019 | "Market My Letters" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | singles only |
| "A Few Good Moments" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Sanity" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
Film music
- 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)
Collaborations with Randy Bachman
- 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
See also
References
External links
- Official website
- Template:IMDb name
- Burton Cummings Theatre at the Internet Broadway Database
- Template:Discogs artist
- Burton Cummings Biography Template:Webarchive CanConRox entry at CanadianBands.com
Template:The Guess Who Template:Canadian Music Hall of Fame Template:Authority control
- Pages with broken file links
- 1947 births
- Living people
- Officers of the Order of Canada
- Members of the Order of Manitoba
- Musicians from Winnipeg
- Canadian male singer-songwriters
- Canadian country singer-songwriters
- Canadian rock keyboardists
- Canadian rock pianists
- Canadian rock guitarists
- Canadian male guitarists
- Canadian rock singers
- Canadian soft rock musicians
- Juno Award for Album of the Year winners
- Best Original Song Genie and Canadian Screen Award winners
- The Guess Who members
- Juno Award for Artist of the Year winners
- Juno Award for Breakthrough Artist of the Year winners
- 20th-century Canadian male singers
- 21st-century Canadian male singers
- 20th-century Canadian guitarists
- 21st-century Canadian guitarists
- 20th-century Canadian pianists
- 21st-century Canadian pianists
- Canadian male pianists
- 20th-century Canadian keyboardists
- Writers from Winnipeg
- Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band members
- Canadian Music Hall of Fame inductees
- 20th-century Canadian singer-songwriters
- 21st-century Canadian singer-songwriters
- Singers from Manitoba