​RICHARD CUMMINS
The Quirkiness of Indie, Progressive Acoustic 'LOOPER', Catchy Melodies and Lyrics of Pop, and the Angst Ridden Riff's of Rock.
STREAM Richard's ENTIRE Discography HERE
Released 55 years later to the day (August 16, 1966)!! Richard's version of The Monkees hit Last Train To Clarksville rev's up the Country vibe from the original - after all, the song is set in Clarksville, Tennessee - and rewards guitar and fiddle fans with an extended jam on the way out called 'Train Ride'.
Get your ticket, and get on board.
Released August 16, 2021
Richard Cummins - Full Song Production, Vocals, Guitars, Bass, Drums
Mike Sanyshyn - Fiddle, Banjo
#Monkees #lasttraintoclarksville #Mickeydolenz #lasttrainat55
Carry On Canada is a song for this moment in History.
I just thought we Canadians needed a REAL boost - A REAL and POSITIVE we'll-get-through-this because just a minute ago we had a pretty cool Country full of some of the most Excellent People on the Planet - that's not gonna change in the debacle of 2020. From Grease Monkeys, to Suits, to 1st Responders.
Carry On, Canada #carryoncanada
'Not All Who Are Lost, Wander...'
Nominated 'Rock Album Of The Year' GMA Dove/Covenant
2014 Gospel Music Association Awards, Canada
“Not All Who Are Lost, Wander” is the story of journeys... a sudden and jarring realization of the lifeless monotony of the day to day, a haunting echo of a long ago feeling, a frustrating encounter at the door of the local church - begging the question of how gathered groups who seem so pious can be so dilettantish - the 2 beaches, and a promise.
Then, seemingly in a flash... The bus at Liminal St. is set to leave the grim, grey, joyless city, journeying toward the mountains and the sunrise. That heavy sunrise...
The first line of JRR Tolkien’s famous poem from ‘Lord of the Rings’, "All That is Gold Does Not Glitter", is a variant and rearrangement of the proverb "All that glitters is not gold", known primarily from Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice, resulting in a proposition bearing a completely different meaning.
In the tradition of this intellect, Richard crafts for himself an inversion of the famous second line, “Not all those who wander are lost” (which in itself is an inversion bearing the meaning that those suspiciously viewed as wanderers or vagabonds are actually moving about with purpose) into “Not All Who Are Lost, Wander”, as those seem most secure, can be sufficiently lost
The Characters:
The Seeker, The Girl on the Sidewalk, 2 Vultures, The Pastor, The Beast, and 'Someone There'.
DOWNLOAD Richard's
ENTIRE
Discography HERE
The follow up Single from Richard Matthew Cummins Country Music Project.
'Water Comes Down' is a song about the Canadian West ("Wet") Coast and how your usual Saturday begins with a cloud burst. The song does have the melancholy of the rain, but surprisingly rolls into a thunderstorm of an ending.
There are some fantastic 'Beatlesque' moments in the layered Fiddle parts that rise to occasion of Pop Perfection played by Mike Sanyshyn (Top Fiddle Player in Canada), but Richard's Country Roots shine strong.
Smile: When You Were Only Small
Coming off the back of my triumphant 'Rock Album Of The Year' nominated album "Not all Who Are Lost Wander", this EP sidesteps the exuberance and hides its message in melancholy, reflection, and seeing yourself in the 'everyman'.
Sometimes it is a relief to take the cape off and let someone else be the hero for a moment or two...
'Moments'
Nominated 'Pop Album Of The Year' GMA Dove/Covenant
2008 Gospel Music Association Awards, Canada
Featuring Phil Keaggy: Guitar/Vocals, John Sferra (Glass Harp): Drums, Randy Stonehill: Guitar/Vocals, Chris McHugh (Keith Urban, Whiteheart): Drums. Produced in Nashville by JB (Peter Frampton, Garth Brooks, and was the man behind Phil Keaggy's landmark acoustic instrumental album, 'Beyond Nature')
From the Cd liner notes:
“Moments” is first and foremost an autobiographical record, or if you will, a ‘concept’ album. Although the first song after The Introduction is presented ‘In Medias Res’ **, it is carefully sequenced so that each song sets up the next - providing a beginning, a middle, and an end – storybook style. By the time you get to The Epilogue, and if you’ve paid close attention, you will have turned the pages of my private diary from 13 to 33. I was going to publish a song-by-song synopsis as a complimentary narrative but realized that doing so would be severely underestimating my audience. And Besides – the story is already here. Whether this album finds you in your car with the volume up; an evening where you can steal away with a cup of coffee or glass of wine by the stereo, or late at night with the headphones on – I give you my journey."
This album struggled to completion and almost never made it: recorded over two years with studio sessions ranging from Nashville Tennessee to Hollywood California USA, to various Canadian studios and Richard's own 'Nectarine Horse' studio, nestled in the picturesque Fraser Valley of British Columbia, Canada.
To Purchase the limited run 1st pressing CD with Deluxe 16 Page Glossy CD Booklet - Loaded with Concept Artwork, Revealing Album Notes, Pictures and Lyrics, Click HERE, or above and select
"Limited Edition Compact Disc
(1st Pressing)"
WindMill
Progressive Acoustic based 'LOOPING' on the Roland RC-50
Loops go around and around, and so do wind mills - as a natural and powerful force flows through them.
Richard allowed for only fresh creativity, and being on the cutting edge of loop technology, would only pick up his guitar and play when it was plugged in AND recording - so what you hear are compositions being created at the EXACT TIME they are being recorded.
Creativity and technology combined.
Structured improvisation with thoughtful 'look ahead' melodies, not just 'jamming' over a rythm bit as you are starting to hear as looping becomes more mainstream. Richard's Windmill is one of only 2 pure spontaneous loop albums in existence, alongside Phil Keaggy's own effort, 'Roundabout'. Albums like Chet Atkins 'Jam Man', though loop based, were pre written compositions, carefully thought out before recording commenced. For fans of PROGRESSIVE ACOUSTIC TECHNIQUE and LOOPING.
Sometimes fully orchestrated with complex multiple layers of melody, rhythm and harmony, to sometimes sparse tuneful interludes Windmill is perfect to listen to when you want to reflect, marvel at the wonders of live looping, or just enjoy a good melodic instrumental piece!
From the CD insert:
"Like the back says, these tracks are one shot recordings, using digital audio looping technology. The melodies were all composed on the spot with the loop station running, being laid down and recorded simultaneously as they were actually being written!
And the layers of sound you hear - what sounds like a Bass Guitar, and Drums, etc are all derived from one instrument: my Limited Edition Taylor 314-CE auditorium acoustic.
As the loop station was recording, if I felt a piece needed a bass line, I would quickly either drop my E string down to D, or jack my Neve bass control to max and lay down a spontaneous bass line to accompany the part - same with the percussion.
Most of what you hear as drums is actually me finding different tonal areas on the body of my guitar, then whacking at it furiously to get kick, tom, and even hi hat/snare type sounds. I also utilize shakers and tamborines, sometimes using the loop stations convenient mic input, or sometimes cranking the gain on the Taylor and recording straight through the soundhole!
I hope you enjoy these spontaneous acoustic creations as much as I did making them!"
Buy The WINDMILL CD By Clicking Here
ReGift
Original Christmas Songs
DREAMING OF SUGAR PLUMS:
The Christmas song I always wanted to write. It came to me in one sitting at the piano late this November, and reflects my thoughts
on the trappings of the season, and those trapped.
CLOSE YOUR EYES, GO TO SLEEP:
About a conversation I had that Jesus returning in the 2nd Coming, but just just before Dec 25th, would wreck Christmas for a lot of people... Imagine that - the return of the one whose very birth you are celebrating would ruin your celebration. I wrote this song in response to this western minded insanity.
A WONDERFUL LIFE:
Based on the movie 'It's A Wonderful Life', this song draws parrallels in todays world, and is an anthem for what it takes to carry on in the face of tragedy and loss. 'And God's giving visions when men leap from bridges, and angels get wings..."
​
ON A COLD DECEMBER:
'On A Cold December...' is the first original Christmas tune from Richard, originally tiled 'Egg Nog'd', combining his ability to paint pictures with words, and social comment/satire based on his perceptions of modern Christmas
​
A HUMAN PROJECT
This Album serves a a Global Soundtrack that underlays the question of Human Connection - how we can Bless each other and at the same time have the ability to Murder our Brothers and Sisters in this World.
Originally composed to order and used in a Documentary called 'The Human Project' - it's challenge was to compose pieces of music for the events and places the film took place, from Africa to India, from Korea to Canada. This soundtrack, 'A Human Project', is a true 'World' album
A Ride In The Sky
A Tribute to Paul McCartney, The Beatles, and Wings
*FREE DOWNLOAD* Click 'download' and enter '0' in "Buy Now"
A Ride In The Sky is a long awaited and very special project celebrating one of the most universally acclaimed songwriters of all time, Sir Paul McCartney, as performed by renowned Beatles Tribute Artist, Richard Cummins. Includes 2 original songs:
'Paul McCartney Taught Me Right'
'Paul, He Used To Sing With Me'
Geraldo Dominelli of the group LOVERBOY featured on 'Band On The Run' (Slide Guitar)
Colin Farquhar Saxophone, and Geraldo Dominelli Piano: Lady Madonna (Live Bonus)
Otherwise all instruments - Guitars, Keys, Bass, Strings, Drums and Vocals - tracked in studio:
Richard Cummins
#mccartneycovers #mccartneytribute #beatlestribute #raremccartney #beatlesbootleg #mccartneycontest