Hippie in a Redneck World by Eddie Cunningham

Former lead singer/songwriter and founder of Atlantic Records alternative Rock/Country group "Cowboys & Indians" 1987-90. A&R Rep Keith Cowan got an unsolicited tape in the mail from Eddie, a 4 song home studio recording of the band. Keith wanted to see them "live" so he set up a private showcase in Hollywood. They were signed on the spot and recorded at least two albums worth of American Indian Tribal rock songs and Country rock/ballads. They Played gigs around town with "The Unforgivin'"(the pioneers of the spaghetti western craze in Hollywood).

While honing his writing skills playing the Los Angeles songwriters circuit, and visiting the famous Palomino club in North Hollywood he ran into many songwriters including Jim Lauderdale, Jeffrey Steele (Boy Howdy), Monty Byrom (Big House), Dale Watson, Rosie Flores, Dwight Yoakam and others.

Eddie's former lead guitarist of a previous country rock band (favorites on the san Diego music scene "The Amber Band") Danny Pinnella, told Betty Rosen at Michael Douglas's label, Third Stone Records, about Eddie and was offered a publishing contract with Third Stone/Warner Chappell.

Eddie has songs recorded by Ben E. King, Gram Parsons Notebook, Moe Bandy, Chris Darrow, Mark Insley, Todd Fritsch, Michael Mandella, Jenny Slate, Pete Martinez, Paul Marshall, The Hillbilly Truckers, Cowboys and Indians and has written with some of the best in the industry including Jeffrey Steele, Wendy Waldman, Desmond Child, A.L."Doodle" Owens, Kostas and many others.

He was named the "Songwriter of the Year" and "Male vocalist of the Year" by the California Country Music Association and was named the "Best Unsigned" Country artists in America by becoming the Grand-Prize Winner in the Jim Beam Country Band Search at the Wildhorse Saloon in Nashville where he performed in front of a packed house with Montgomery Gentry filmed for CMT.

Eddie Topped the Americana charts with two songs featured on the Gram Parsons Tribute CD a legendary, history making Grammy worthy project on Shellpoint Records. Eddie is singing a power gospel song called "Jesus Is More Than a Name", which he co-wrote with Gram Parsons through his notebook. He also co-produced the song with Grammy Award winner Carl Jackson. *The album was nominated for 3 Grammy nominations and also includes Ricky Skaggs, Marty Stuart, Jim Lauderdale, The Elvis Band, Larry Cordle, Lona Heins, Leslie Satcher, Eddie Dunbar & The Woody's.

Accolades, Accomplishments, Awards, Yada Yada, Bla Bla Bla…

• 2007 INTERNATIONAL ACOUSTIC MUSIC ASSOCIATION “TOP FIVE” “BEST MALE” “WHERE THE WIND BEGINS” –(compilation)

• 2007 NATIONAL ANTHEM “BIG CAP” Santa Anita Race Track (March 3rd)

• 2007 WE ARE LISTENING - (honourable mention)

• 2006 DARROW CUNNINGHAM “A NIGHT AT NADINES” (6th CD) released – nufire records

• 2006 HILLBILLY TRUCKERS – “HONEY WHAT TOWN ARE WE IN” (5th CD) released – nufire records

• 2006 67 RECORDS – Selected artists “WISHING ON FIREFLIES” for (compilation)

• 2006 SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA MUSIC AWARDS “BEST GOSPEL” for “JESUS IS MORE THAN A NAME”

• 2006 SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA MUSIC AWARDS “BEST MALE” (nomination)

• 2006 BILLBOARD WORLD SONG CONTEST – Country winner “BAD COWBOY” (compilation)

• 2006 INDIE 911 –Selected artist “MEMORY LIKE YOU” (Smash Hits You’ve Never Heard –compilation)

• 2006 AMERICAN IDOL UNDERGROUND (highest rated country song weekly winner) “TIL MY THIRST FOR YOU IS GONE”

• 2006 COWBOYS & INDIANS – “SONGS FROM THE BIG TENT” (4th CD) released – nufire records

• 2006 FAITH BASED (3rd CD) released – nufire records

• 2005 JOHN LENNON SONG CONTEST – (Country winner) “BAD COWBOY”

• 2005 BROADJAM.COM Top 10 Rated Country # 1 “JESUS IS MORE THAN A NAME”

• 2005 INDEPENDENT GOSPEL RADIO (selected artist) “JESUS IS MORE THAN A NAME”

• 2005 NEXT HIT SONG – Top Country (finalist) “BAD COWBOY”

• 2005 DISCMAKERS- IMWS - (finalists)

• 2004 DISCMAKERS- IMW S- (finalists)

• 2003 JUST PLAIN FOLKS – Country Song “CHILD OF THE HONKY-TONK RACE”

• 2003 JUST PLAIN FOLKS – Country Album “EDDIE CUNNINGHAM”

• 2001 DISCMAKERS – (Finalists) Songwriter

• 2000 AWARDED “BEST UN-SIGNED ARTISTS IN AMERICA” – JIM BEAM

• 2000 JIM BEAM COUNTRY BAND SEARCH – Grand Prize winner

• 2000 I CAN’T WAIT (2nd CD) released – nufire records

• 2000 3 GRAMMY NOMINATION for “GRAM PARSONS NOTEBOOK” (2 songs)

• 2000 TOP TEN AMERICANA CD “GRAM PARSONS NOTEBOOK”

• 1997 EDDIE CUNNINGHAM (debut CD) released – nufire records

• 1996 COUNTRY STAR / GREAT WESTERN FORUM / TALENT ROUND-UP (1st place winner)

• 1996 CALIFORNIA COUNTRY MUSIC ASSOCIATION “Male Vocalist of the Year” (National winner)

• 1996 CALIFORNIA COUNTRY MUSIC ASSOCIATION “Songwriter of the Year” (State winner)

• 1996 CALIFORNIA COUNTRY MUSIC ASSOCIATION “Songwriter of the Year” (Los Angeles Region)

• 1996 CALIFORNIA COUNTRY MUSIC ASSOCIATION “Male Vocalist of the Year” (Los Angeles Region)

• 1996 CALIFORNIA COUNTRY MUSIC ASSOCIATION “Male Vocalist of the Year” (State winner)

• 1995 CALIFORNIA COUNTRY MUSIC ASSOCIATION “Male Vocalist of the Year” (Los Angeles Region)

• 1995 CALIFORNIA COUNTRY MUSIC ASSOCIATION “Male Vocalist of the Year” (State finalists)

• 1994 CALIFORNIA COUNTRY MUSIC ASSOCIATION “Male Vocalist of the Year” (nominee)

• 1993 CALIFORNIA COUNTRY MUSIC ASSOCIATION “Male Vocalist of the Year” (nominee)

• 1992 CALIFORNIA COUNTRY MUSIC ASSOCIATION “Male Vocalist of the Year” (nominee)

• 1991 CALIFORNIA COUNTRY MUSIC ASSOCIATION “Male Vocalist of the Year” (nominee)

• 1990 BATTLE OF THE BANDS (1st place winner) COWBOY & INDIANS

• 1989 BILLBOARD SONG CONTEST (honorable mention) “I Wanna Make It Right”

• 1987 KNTF / CALIFORNIA COUNTRY STAR SEARCH (1st place winner)

• 1987 COWBOY & INDIANS records for Atlantic Records

• 1987 YOU CAN BE A STAR – TNN (finalists)

• 1986 CATCH A RISING STAR (1st place winner) - THE JEDS

• 1983 YOU CAN BE A STAR – TNN (finalists)

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