Chris Cummings Biography
Since the beginning of his career, Chris Cummings has released six extraordinary studio albums and racked up multiple hits at Canadian country radio including ten "top ten" singles and several number one videos on CMT Canada. In addition, he has achieved Gold Album status in Canada, had multiple CCMA, RPM, ECMA, and JUNO nominations as well as a GRAMMY nominated song recorded by American country group Alabama. To date, many artists including Ricochet, Daryle Singletary, David Frizell, and Alabama have had successful hits on the US charts with songs written and co-written by Chris.
In September 2010, his latest CD Give Me Tonight was released on Alberta based Royalty Records Inc. label. On this project, Chris' songwriting continues to evolve resulting in music the way it is meant to be, honest and open with an unpretentious attitude. The songs contained on the album range from straight ahead country to sweeping ballads, and even touch on his fondness for music from the 1970's and 80's.
The successful chart single Leavings Not An Option returned Chris to the forefront at Canadian country radio in 2011.
A songwriter and performer since childhood, Chris' formal introduction to the music business came in 1990 after his first independently released CD found its way to Reprise Records president Jim Ed Norman. In 1992, at the age of 17, Chris was awarded a recording contract with Warner Bros. Nashville. At that time, Chris was the youngest artist they had ever signed. The exciting news came when Chris was called out of class one day while still in high school. "I literally got called out of high school math class and told I had a call from Warner Bros. Records in Nashville," says Cummings. "They flew me down to Nashville, we had a meeting, and the next week I was on the Ralph Emery Show. It was that fast."
Far away from home for the first time in his life, teenaged Chris hit the road, honing his skills with non-stop touring throughout the USA and Canada with such legendary artists as Tammy Wynette, George Jones, Clint Black, Garth Brooks, Trisha Yearwood and Dwight Yoakam just to name a few.
Living full time in Nashville, he was schooled in songwriting by some of the most talented writers in country music, Don Schlitz, Mac McAnally, and Gary Burr to name a few. Chris considers himself lucky to have had the opportunity to refine his craft; writing with teachers like these.
His successful debut CD, Somewhere Inside released in June 1996. The first single I Waited shot into the top five on the charts. The second single Sure Enough went straight to number one. Follow-up songs Somewhere Inside and Almost Always reached the top five in Canada as well; the album sold more than 50,000 units and was certified Gold. Quite an achievement for the then 21 year old.
Chris' second CD, Chris Cummings released in both the United States and Canada in February 1998. The first single released from the project The Kind Of Heart That Breaks shot to number one in Canada and the video, featuring Chris playing hockey, topped CMT Canada's charts for 3 weeks. Chris maintained his presence on the charts with his follow up single A Minute and a Half.
Chris transferred to WEA Canada for the release of his third CD, Lonesomeville. In 2000, the first two singles That'll Teach Her and No One Hurts Me More Than Me both reached the top 10 in Canada. The year 2000 brought other fortunes to Chris. The song Twentieth Century co-written by Chris and Don Schlitz, garnered a Grammy nomination that year. Having a Grammy nominated song by the time he turned 25 was most certainly a coup for Cummings and a first among his Canadian country music contemporaries of that time.
His next CD Ooh, That Could Cost Him the Gold, Bob! released in March 2002. He continued his string of hits with songs Cowboy Hats, Betty and Benefit of Doubt. The chart topping videos for singles Cowboy Hats and Benefit of Doubt dominated at CMT Canada that same year.
Chris' Greatest Hits package released in April 2004. Singles released from the CD included a new song Lucy Got Lucky that returned Chris to the Canadian country music and CMT Canada charts. Follow up single Not Again was the second new song from the disk.
In 2006 Who Says You Can't? it was released on the KOCH Entertainment label. Chris even had a hand in producing the album that brought him back to the Canadian charts with his version of the Dan Baird rocker Dixie Beauxderaunt and the beautiful semi-autobiographical single For the Music. Dixie Beauxderaunt was the first radio release of Cummings' career that was not self-penned.
In 2008 Chris was recognized in his home Province of New Brunswick and designated a New Brunswick Ambassador by the Province's Premier for his outstanding work in music and video.
In addition, worldwide publication International Musician Magazine featured Chris on the cover of the magazine along with an in-depth article in the December 2008 issue, making Chris one of very small group of Canadian music artists to ever achieve this honor.
In 2012, five of Chris' songs, including his current single Till I See You Smile were featured on the soundtrack of the movie Servitude. Servitude (Alliance Films) is the first film produced by Telefilm Canada Features Comedy Lab, a CFC Film program, in collaboration with Just For Laughs.
Sacrifices and generosity have always been second nature to Chris; he gives ongoing support for families in Africa, frequently volunteers his musical talents for various charitable organizations throughout Canada, of late, to animal welfare groups.
Visit Chris' website at www.chriscummings.ca for music, video, chart history and news updates
