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As lead singer and songwriter for Canada’s original rock ‘n’ roll superstars, The Guess Who, Burton scored an unprecedented string of international hit singles and albums including “American Woman,” “These Eyes,” “Laughing,” “No Time,” “Share the Land,” “No Sugar Tonight/New Mother Nature,” “Clap for the Wolfman”, “Albert Flasher” and others, all written or co-written by him. By 1970, The Guess Who had sold more records than the entire Canadian music industry combined before breaking up in 1975.
Achieving Unheard of Milestones
The group achieved a long list of firsts including first Canadian group to reach #1 on Billboard charts — holding that spot for three weeks — and first to earn a platinum album for U.S. sales of more than one million copies. Rolling Stone magazine hailed The Guess Who as “one of rock’s most consistently fascinating maverick bands” with a succession of songs “that has few equals among contemporary North American groups.” Dick Clark described the group as rock innovators and ambassadors of Canadian music.
Internal Tensions and Differing Musical Directions
Burton Cummings left The Guess Who in 1975 primarily to pursue a solo career. After nearly a decade with the band, during which they achieved significant success, Cummings felt the need to explore new creative avenues and assert more artistic control. He was also eager to experiment with different musical styles that didn’t necessarily fit within the band’s established sound. Additionally, there were internal tensions and differences in musical direction among the band members, which further motivated his decision to go solo. Cummings’ departure marked the end of an era for The Guess Who but also the beginning of a successful solo journey for him.
Going Solo
Beginning his career as a solo artist in 1976, Burton continued his winning streak with a gold record for his solo debut single “Stand Tall,” produced by legendary hitmaker Richard Perry who numbered among his clients Barbra Streisand, Carly Simon and Ringo Starr. He followed his inaugural solo success with more than a dozen hit singles and albums including “I’m Scared,” “My Own Way to Rock,” “I Will Play a Rhapsody,” “Timeless Love,” “Break It to Them Gently,” “Dream of a Child,” and “You Saved My Soul.” Sold-out tours across Canada and the United States solidified Burton’s stature as a top entertainer.
Burton Cummings – both with and without the Guess Who, managed to do what no other Canadian musicians have ever done.
Touring and TV
Through the ‘80s and ‘90s, Burton continued to tour and joined Beatles drummer Ringo Starr’s All Starr Band. In 1980, a starring role in the feature film Melanie with Miami Vice star Don Johnson earned Burton a Genie Award for Best Original Song.
Up Close and Alone
He also launched his acclaimed Up Close and Alone solo concert series featuring Burton alone onstage recounting stories behind his best-known songs and sharing personal moments from his career. A live album of the same name followed. The success of Lenny Kravitz’ cover of “American Woman” in the hit feature film Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me brought renewed attention to the original Guess Who. The group reunited in 1999 for the closing ceremonies of the Pan-American Games with a television audience numbering in the tens of millions. Several high-profile North American tours followed.
Burton Cummings and Randy Bachman
As the VOICE of all the classic Guess Who hit songs, Burton has toured with his long-time band, for the past twenty-three years across North America as well as joining Randy Bachman onstage as Bachman Cummings, performing his songs from the original The Guess Who, Bachman-Turner Overdrive and Burton’s solo career.
Canadian Rock 'n' Roll Royalty
Described as Canadian rock ‘n’ roll royalty, a national treasure, and a living legend, for Burton Cummings there has always been one constant: he remains true to himself and his own way to rock… and continuing to perform the songs the way they were originally conceived by the artist who sang and wrote/co-wrote them.
Burton Cummings - Poet
It may have taken him nine years to prepare but Burton also recently released his long-awaited book of poems, “The Writings Of B.L. Cummings”. Burton tells us this week that Volume 2 is also in the making. What an incredibly talented man!
