From: owner-curiouser@smoe.org (curiouser) To: curiouser-digest@smoe.org Subject: curiouser V5 #16 Reply-To: curiouser@smoe.org Sender: owner-curiouser@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-curiouser@smoe.org Precedence: bulk X-List-Info: http://www.io.com/~mcurry/curiouser.html curiouser Wednesday, December 17 2003 Volume 05 : Number 016 Today's Subjects: ----------------- Fwd: Bad news - Johnny Cunningham :( [meredith ] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 16 Dec 2003 22:48:35 -0500 From: meredith Subject: Fwd: Bad news - Johnny Cunningham :( I'm speechless ... >Date: Tue, 16 Dec 2003 20:32:21 -0700 >To: ecto@smoe.org >From: Neal Copperman >Subject: Bad news - Johnny Cunningham :( > >Scottish master fiddler Johnny Cunningham passed away last evening (Dec. >15, 2003). He died at home in Trisha's arms from a heart attack > >Johnny was 46 years old and had played fiddle since the age of 7. He >was known for his lightning-fast reels and hauntingly beautiful Scottish >airs. He also delighted audiences worldwide with his wry humor and >stories. > >Born in Portobello, Scotland in 1957, Johnny was a founding member of >Silly Wizard, the group that spearheaded the Scots side of the Celtic >revival in the 70's and 80's. He had toured with his brother, Phil >Cunningham, both as a duo and with the Celtic "supergroup" Relativity, >which also featured Micheal O'Domhnaill and Triona Ni Dhomhnaill of The >Bothy Band. > >Johnny not only enjoyed a succcessful career as a solo performer but was >greatly in demand as an award-winning record producer. Among other >ventures, he toured with contemporary singer-songwriter and author Bill >Morrissey, and crossed over into the world of rock & roll, appearing >with Hall & Oates. His own alternative band, Raindogs, made two >successful CD's for Atlantic/Atco Records, and toured with artists such >as Bob Dylan, Don Henley, and Warren Zevon. Collaborations also included >projects with Cherish the Ladies and Solas, and led to four CD's and >three National American Independent Music Awards (NAIRD) for Best Album. > >After completing a four-year stint with the international Windham >Hill/BMG act Nightnoise, Johnny started working with the acclaimed New >York-based theater company Mabou Mines on their theatrical production of >"Peter & Wendy." He composed the music and lyrics for this adaptation >of J.M. Barrie's "Peter Pan," which enjoyed numerous sold out >engagements. > >The response by audience and critics alike was overwhelmingly positive. >Already the winner of two OBIE Awards, "Peter & Wendy" moved to >Berkeley, CA, in 1999 for a run at the renowned Berkeley Repertory >Theater, and later to the Dublin Theatre Festival. The soundtrack album >from this innovative production was released in 1997. > >Johnny devoted the summer of 1997 to a collaboration with Thomas Moore, >best-selling author of "Care Of The Soul." The result was a double CD >set, "The Soul Of Christmas," released by Tommy Boy/Upaya. Through the >heart of Celtic culture and Moore's writings, "The Soul of Christmas" >explores a spiritual interpretation of traditional Christmas music and >thought. A live concert version of this celebration was filmed for a PBS >television special which aired throughout the 1997 holiday season. > >In Fall 1997, Johnny toured throughout Scotland, Ireland, England and >Wales with The Celtic Fiddle Festival, joined by fellow fiddlers Kevin >Burke (Ireland) and Christian Le maitre (Brittany). This tour was >recorded and produced by Johnny for the Green Linnet label, and released >in February 1998. > >A collaboration with Seamus Egan, (Solas), Jeanne Butler Colin Dunn, >(Riverdance) and Harvey Goldsmith/Radio CIty Music Hall Enterprises, led >to Johnny writing the text and lyrics for the show "Dancing on Dangerous >Ground." Johnny then worked with producer-director Renee McCormick on a >documentary feature entitled "A Life Outside Convention," about women >who decide not to be mothers. Johnny drew from Jazz and other American >musical traditions for its soundtrack. > >Since Nov. 1, 2003, Johnny had been touring with Irish singer Susan >McKeown and guitarist Aidan Brennan on the third edition of the Winter >Talisman Tour. The show had been recorded and released on Sheila-na-Gig >Music/Caledonian Musicworks in 2001. > >Funeral plans for Johnny are still being finalized. > >For more information, please see ><www.johnnycunningham.com>. =============================================== Meredith Tarr New Haven, CT USA mailto:meth@smoe.org http://www.smoe.org/meth =============================================== Live At The House O'Muzak House Concert Series http://muzak.smoe.org =============================================== ------------------------------ End of curiouser V5 #16 ***********************