Live Performance
Nominated for Male Singer/Songwriter of the Year – 20th Annual LA Music Awards
Michael Z. Cummings grew up surrounded by music and art, his father being an amateur trumpet player and his mother a professional painter (www.dianacummings.com ). Michael was inspired by the deep blues and country sounds of Mississippi, John Hurt, Blind Boy Fuller, Blind Blake, Doc Watson, and classic jazz from Duke, Benny Goodman, and Miles, as well as the funk of James Brown and many others which seeped through the cracks of his parent’s bedroom .
Michael began playing lap steel slide guitar and dobro years later, after being influenced by bluegrass, especially Allison Krausse and Union Station . The Paul Butterfield Blues Band and Little Walter inspired an interest in blues harmonica. Eventually he blended his love for poetry, storytelling, and guitar to create his original compositions. Becoming a singer/songwriter was about connecting emotionally with listeners. His music is less focused on being a guitarist and more about being a storyteller and observer.
Neither a cynic nor an idealist, Michael creates organically raw music and lyrics that remind listeners of their past, their childhood, ex-lovers, respectful relationships, what they do and do not like in the world today, and why they keep on living.