Dan Cunningham's Page

At an early age, Dan spent long hours listening to a 50's era Zenith console,
playing and replaying the the one 45 rpm single each of Eddie Arnold and Fats
Domino, and the 78's of Dinah Shore and Haydn's "Surprise" Symphony. The imprint
on an impressionable young mind was profound, and you might say he never
recovered.
Drifting from rock, to country to jazz; to blues, Bach and back again, Dan's own
music failed to develop. And then, one late night laying awake in a fleabag
motel, Dan saw the light. It turned out to the flickering neon sign from
"Murph's Café" next door. As fate would have it, the very next day as Dan was
dining at that same café, savoring the only item on the menu he could afford; a
small order of chili-cheese fries. His eyes were drawn to the Elvis portraits in
black velvet, and just below, a small smeared blackboard with the lunch special,
"Murph's Bologna Burger". At that moment inspiration struck and would have
knocked Dan's socks off, had he been wearing any. The central question was
clear....why top your burger with bologna and not chili? It was time to play
real music, music that tops off the meaty taste of life like chili on a flame
grilled hamburger still dripping with the satisfying essence of fullness. It was
from this point the distinct and varied music he called "New Appalachian" began
to come forth. (As along as he stayed away from the fifth).
Over the years Dan has performed/recorded with Phil Keaggy (Grammy nominee and
Dove award winner), Robin Kessinger (1985 National Flatpicking Champion), Nedra
Talley Ross (Ronettes), Phil Madeira (Nashville songwriter, recording artist)
Lance DeMers (Hannah's Prayer), John Fischer, Jenny Allinder, Ted Sandquist and
others.

Dan’s first solo CD, INTO THE FLOW, received glowing reviews and was a "Viewer’s
Choice" award winner on Kweevak.com. His second CD, I THINK OF HOME, built on
this musical vision, expanding the range of expression for Appalachian music.
The songs received recognition in several songwriting competitions, including an
Honorable Mention in the Billboard song contest.

Dan's third CD, WAYFARING STRANGER (2006) placed third in Kweevak's Listener's
Choice Awards. One tune, "Big Gene", won Honorable Mention in the SONG OF THE
MONTH contest. The CD was a showcase for his songwriting abilities. Traditional
storytelling is mixed with a measured touch of contemporary sounds. Dan's
often-praised guitar skills shine brightly in these arrangements.

Dan's latest CD release, BACK TO MORGANTOWN (2008), is all acoustic. It features
his bone-janglin', brain twistin', finger-picking guitar. Original tunes by Dan
plus a few traditional favorites: "When Johnny Comes Marching Home" is meted out
on Dan's old acoustic guitar and the music ends with the old Scottish song,
"Annie Laurie" presented in a simple arrangement with guitar, vocal and cello.

In 2010, Dan released the single "Out Of My Mind", a tragic tale set in the 1920's
coalfields of West Virginia. The song made the regional finals of  both Mountain Stage/New Song Contest and the Independent Music Awards.