Johnny Cunningham
Encyclopedia
Johnny Cunningham was a Scottish
folk musician
. He was a founding member of Silly Wizard
, as well as a member of Relativity
, The Raindogs
, and Nightnoise
. Throughout his career, Cunningham was also a fiddler
, composer and producer. His younger brother, Phil Cunningham
, is a multi-instrumentalist best known for his piano-accordion and whistle playing. He is also a former member of Silly Wizard and was involved in promoting a greater awareness of Scottish Traditional Music and its performers through the medium of television, doing interviews interwoven with music.
Cunningham was born on August 27, 1957 in Portobello
, Edinburgh
, and died at the age of 46 on December 15, 2003 in New York City
.
With Silly Wizard
With Susan McKeown
Other
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
folk musician
Celtic music
Celtic music is a term utilised by artists, record companies, music stores and music magazines to describe a broad grouping of musical genres that evolved out of the folk musical traditions of the Celtic people of Western Europe...
. He was a founding member of Silly Wizard
Silly Wizard
Silly Wizard was a Scottish folk band that began forming in Edinburgh in 1970. The founder members were two like-minded university students—Gordon Jones and Bob Thomas...
, as well as a member of Relativity
Relativity (band)
Relativity was a Scotch-Irish quartet formed in 1985 consisting of two Scottish brothers and an Irish brother and sister. The four members of the band were brothers Phil Cunningham and John Cunningham , from the influential Scottish band Silly Wizard, and Irish sister and brother Tríona Ní...
, The Raindogs
The Raindogs
The Raindogs were a band formed in Boston, United States around 1985 after several members had disbanded the rock band The Schemers. They combined Celtic and American music to form their own hybrid of rock and roll...
, and Nightnoise
Nightnoise
Nightnoise was a music ensemble active from 1984 to 1997. Their original blend of Irish traditional music, Celtic music, jazz, and classical chamber music inspired a generation of Irish musicians...
. Throughout his career, Cunningham was also a fiddler
Fiddler
A fiddler is a person who plays a fiddle or violin.Fiddler may also refer to:*Fabrangen Fiddlers, an American musical group founded in 1971*Tupolev Tu-28 "Fiddler", a fighter aircraft*Fiddler , a DC Comics villain...
, composer and producer. His younger brother, Phil Cunningham
Phil Cunningham (folk musician)
Phil Cunningham, MBE, born 1960 in Edinburgh, Scotland is a Scottish folk musician and composer.-Biography:Phil played accordion and violin from a very young age. He attended school in Portobello, and was raised Mormon, attending church regularly and playing organ...
, is a multi-instrumentalist best known for his piano-accordion and whistle playing. He is also a former member of Silly Wizard and was involved in promoting a greater awareness of Scottish Traditional Music and its performers through the medium of television, doing interviews interwoven with music.
Cunningham was born on August 27, 1957 in Portobello
Portobello, Edinburgh
Portobello is a beach resort located three miles to the east of the city centre of Edinburgh, along the coast of the Firth of Forth, in Scotland. It is now a suburb of Edinburgh, with a promenade fronting on to the wide sand beach....
, Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
, and died at the age of 46 on December 15, 2003 in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.
With Silly WizardSilly WizardSilly Wizard was a Scottish folk band that began forming in Edinburgh in 1970. The founder members were two like-minded university students—Gordon Jones and Bob Thomas...
- Silly Wizard (1976)
- Caledonia's Hardy Sons (1978)
- So Many Partings (1979)
- Live In America (1985)
- Golden Golden (1985)
- A Glint Of Silver (1986)
- Live Wizardry (1988)
With Celtic Fiddle Festival
- Celtic Fiddle Festival (1993)
- Celtic Fiddle Festival: Encore (1998)
- Rendezvous (2001)
With Susan McKeownSusan McKeownSusan McKeown is an Irish songwriter, folk singer and producer.-Early years:Susan McKeown was born on February 6, 1967 to John Ryan and Jane Ann McKeown in Terenure, Dublin, Ireland. She was greatly influenced by her mother, an organist and composer who died in 1982...
- Peter & Wendy (1997), also with Seamus EganSéamus EganSéamus Egan is an Irish musician.-Early days:Séamus Egan was born in Hatboro, Pennsylvania to Irish émigrés Jack and Ann Egan. At the age of three his parents moved the family back home to County Mayo, Ireland....
, Karen Kandel and Jamshied SharifiJamshied SharifiJamshied Sharifi was born October 17, 1960 in Topeka, Kansas to an Iranian father and an American mother. At an early age, Sharifi was exposed to Jazz and Middle Eastern music by his father and to European classical and church music by his mother. He began to study classical piano at age five and... - A Winter Talisman (2001)
- "Sweet Liberty" (2004)
Other
- Relativity, with RelativityRelativity (band)Relativity was a Scotch-Irish quartet formed in 1985 consisting of two Scottish brothers and an Irish brother and sister. The four members of the band were brothers Phil Cunningham and John Cunningham , from the influential Scottish band Silly Wizard, and Irish sister and brother Tríona Ní...
(1986) - Gathering Pace, with RelativityRelativity (band)Relativity was a Scotch-Irish quartet formed in 1985 consisting of two Scottish brothers and an Irish brother and sister. The four members of the band were brothers Phil Cunningham and John Cunningham , from the influential Scottish band Silly Wizard, and Irish sister and brother Tríona Ní...
(1987) - Lost Souls, with The RaindogsThe RaindogsThe Raindogs were a band formed in Boston, United States around 1985 after several members had disbanded the rock band The Schemers. They combined Celtic and American music to form their own hybrid of rock and roll...
(1990) - Border Drive-In TheatreBorder Drive-In TheatreBorder Drive-In Theatre is the second and last album by Boston-based American/Scottish/Irish folk/roots rock band The Raindogs, released in 1991 on the Atco label....
, with The RaindogsThe RaindogsThe Raindogs were a band formed in Boston, United States around 1985 after several members had disbanded the rock band The Schemers. They combined Celtic and American music to form their own hybrid of rock and roll...
(1991) - "Live on 11th Street", with Casey Neill Band (2003)
- '"To Warm the Winter's Night", with Aine Minogue (1995)