Canadian rock 鈥榥鈥� roll royalty, a national treasure, and a living legend!
These are words that have been used to describe Burton Cummings, who will rock the MainStage on Saturday night.
As lead singer and songwriter for Canada鈥檚 original rock 鈥榥鈥� roll superstars, The Guess Who, Cummings scored an unprecedented string of international hit singles and albums including 鈥淎merican Woman,鈥� 鈥淭hese Eyes,鈥� 鈥淟aughing,鈥� 鈥淣o Time,鈥� 鈥淪hare the Land,鈥� 鈥淣o Sugar Tonight/New Mother Nature,鈥� 鈥淐lap for the Wolfman,鈥� 鈥淎lbert Flasher鈥� and others, all written or co-written by Burton.
In 1975, Cummings continued his award-winning ways, forging a stellar solo career that played to sold-out audiences across Canada and the United States.
He starred in several highly rated television specials and, between 1977 and 1980, earned five Juno Awards for Best Male Vocalist and Best Album, serving as host of the annual Juno gala a record four times. Burton鈥檚 1978 album Dream of a Child became the first quadruple platinum-selling album by a Canadian artist.
The talented performer, singer, songwriter and recording artist continues to do what he loves in his own inimitable way.
In the business for some 60 years, Cummings said one of the the best parts of his day is the two hours on stage with the best band he鈥檚 ever played with.
Like many 鈥淏aby Boomers,鈥� Cummings grew up in a household without TV until he was seven years old, finding his escape in radio and comic books.
An ardent hockey fan who fondly remembers a six-team hockey league, Cummings said he wasn鈥檛 cut out for the ice. Instead, and at his mother鈥檚 bidding, he began taking piano lessons.
鈥淎t 10 and 11, I was able to learn songs from the radio and that made me a hero at school,鈥� he said, noting he joined his first band just before turning 14. 鈥淚 knew as a little kid that I wanted to be a musician, but I didn鈥檛 know I would get the breaks.鈥�
Cummings said he no longer writes songs of early love and angst. He gets his inspiration instead from daily living in an albeit more complicated world where bomb threats and tight security are the norm.
鈥淲e have experienced a tremendous opening up of the world,鈥� he says.
Influenced by the likes of Fats Domino, Jerry Lee Lewis and other early rock phenoms, Cummings said his lyrics such as those of 鈥淗unting For My Rhythm and My Rhyme鈥� from his new album, A Few Good Moments, are thoughtful, real, not pretentious.
Long before the Elbow鈥檚 Up movement, the proud Canadian and his band travelled the world with a huge Canadian flag that formed a backdrop on their stages in Japan, Australia and across the world.
鈥淲e were proud to scream Canada!鈥�
The talented artist said God willing and music gods willing, he will continue to share his music for many more years.
But he鈥檚 also enjoying life on the Prairies with its clean air, blues skies and the ability to enjoy 鈥渁 lot of the things he was too busy, too young and too shallow鈥� to do before. And that includes listening to music from his library of thousands of songs.
Cummings is looking forward to appearing on the Roots and Blues Festival MainStage Saturday night and sending the crowd home happy.
To sample Cummings enduring music and some of his new recordings, go online to rootsandblues.ca, click on the Festival Experience tab, then for this premier event that runs July 25 - 27 at the Salmon Arm Fairgrounds. A detailed schedule features all performers, their music, where and when they will play, along with information on workshops, the Pulk'w Place, whimsical play and much more. And don鈥檛 miss the Tuned Up series that ignites Downtown Salmon Arm beginning July 22.
