Craig Cummings Music

Tonight I am stopping in to Brewer’s Alley in Frederick as the featured performer for the Monday night songwriter’s showcase. This is always a great gig – the hosts, Ron Deacey, Todd Walker, Tomy Wright and Ron Goad are exceptionally kind and all talented in their own right (as their weekly performances show); the music lovers who frequent Brewer’s are a listening audience, allowing performers to play songs not always well-received in noisier venues; and, the other performers brought in to play 3-songs sets prior to the feature are always fine songwriters. All of  this makes the feature performer have to “up their game” to the highest level in order to justify the honor of the featured slot. So it is with this in mind that I’m approaching tonight’s performance.

I’ll be playing selections of songs from my CDs Road Trips and Relationships and Whispering Low as well as threads of songs for 2 recording projects currently in development. My 21st Century Poor project is a collection of songs about what happens to good people who find themselves in terrible financial and social situations after living much of their lives somewhat predictably in the middle class (what’s left of it). The other unnamed project is a collection of songs I’ve been performing publicly for a while that remain in need of a unifying theme. Some of these songs are among the strongest I’ve written and once I clarify what they are saying about me (or to me), I’ll be ready to move forward with some recording of these tunes as well.

Stop by and enjoy the show this evening. The music begins at 7:30 pm with a piano prelude by Virginia resident Jim Moon. The 3-song slots are filled by the incredible Tom Dews, Frederick-area duo Basswood, and Jeff Ball and Greg Dillon. The hosts will get their licks in as well, performing either early in the evening or following my feature spot. I’ll probably go on about 9:00. Hope to see you there.

Here’s a song to get you warmed up for tonight. Enjoy.