Josh Cunningham

Last updated

Josh Cunningham
Joshuacunningham.jpg
Josh Cunningham, The Waifs
22 May 2007
Perth, Western Australia.
Background information
Birth nameJoshua Hayden Cunningham
Origin New South Wales
Genres Folk rock
Occupation(s)Guitarist
Singer-songwriter
Instrument(s) Guitar
Ukulele
Mandolin
Dobro
Years active1987present
Labels Jarrah Records

Joshua Hayden Cunningham [1] is an Australian guitarist, vocalist and songwriter who is one-third of folk rock band the Waifs. [2] His involvement with the Waifs has resulted in a total of four Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) Award wins, all in 2003 for Up All Night and ten further nominations. [3] Cunningham has released five studio albums with The Waifs and co-writes songs with fellow members Donna Simpson and Vikki Thorn, including "Lighthouse", which was nominated for ARIA Award for Single of the Year at the ARIA Music Awards of 2003.

Contents

Cunningham has been a regular member of Missy Higgins's backing band, performed on her album On a Clear Night and appeared in her live shows. He has constructed some of the guitars he plays, both acoustic and electric.

Biography

Joshua Cunningham grew up on a farm in Moruya, New South Wales, and picked up his first guitar in 1987. He met Donna and Vikki Simpson while the two sisters played gigs in Broome, in 1992. At the time, Cunningham played bass guitar in an all-male band. Donna Simpson described, on The Waifs' official website, how they met:

"We jammed for about 10 minutes and I asked him to join the band and he said "ok"... Just like that, and we became The Waifs."

Cunningham has been a member of The Waifs ever since.

In Perth at the WA Art Gallery, March 2017 Josh Cunningham at WA Art Gallery 9 03 2017.jpg
In Perth at the WA Art Gallery, March 2017

Cunningham was nominated for six awards at the 2024 Country Music Awards of Australia. [4] [5]

Discography

Solo studio albums

TitleDetailsPeak chart positions
AUS
[6]
Into Tomorrow
  • Release date: 2011
  • Label:
  • Format: CD, DD
The Song Club
(with Felicity Urquhart)
  • Release date: 7 May 2021
  • Label: ABC Music/Universal Music (3595271)
  • Format: CD, DD, streaming
77
Birdsong
(with Felicity Urquhart)
  • Released: 29 September 2023 [7]
  • Label: ABC Music/Universal Music
  • Format: CD, digital

Awards and nominations

AIR Awards

The Australian Independent Record Awards (commonly known informally as AIR Awards) is an annual awards night to recognise, promote and celebrate the success of Australia's Independent Music sector.

YearNominee / workAwardResult
2022 [8] [9] The Song Club (with Felicity Urquhart)Best Independent Country Album or EPWon

ARIA Music Awards

The ARIA Music Awards is an annual ceremony presented by Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA), which recognise excellence, innovation, and achievement across all genres of the music of Australia. They commenced in 1987.

YearNominee / workAwardResultRef.
2021 The Song Club (with Felicity Urquhart) ARIA Award for Best Country Album Nominated [10] [11]

Country Music Awards of Australia

The Country Music Awards of Australia is an annual awards night held in January during the Tamworth Country Music Festival. Celebrating recording excellence in the Australian country music industry. They commenced in 1973.

YearNominee / workAwardResultRef.
2022Felicity Urquhart & Josh CunninghamGroup or Duo of the YearNominated [12]
The Song ClubAlt. Country Album of the YearNominated
The Song ClubAlbum of the YearNominated
"Spare Parts"Video of the YearNominated
2023"Bogswamp" (written by Josh Cunningham) – Recorded by Felicity Urquhart & Josh CunninghamHeritage Song of the YearNominated [13]
2024Birdsong (with Felicity Urquhart)Album of the YearPending [4] [5]
Birdsong (with Felicity Urquhart)Traditional County Album of the YearPending
"Size Up" (with Felicity Urquhart)Single of the YearPending
"Size Up" (with Felicity Urquhart)Song of the YearPending
"Size Up" (with Felicity Urquhart)
(dir. Duncan Toombs & The Filmery)
Video of the YearPending
Josh Cunningham & Felicity UrquhartGroup or Duo of the YearPending

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Waifs</span> Australian band

The Waifs are an Australian folk rock band formed in 1992 by sisters Vikki Thorn and Donna Simpson as well as Josh Cunningham. Their tour and recording band includes Ben Franz (bass), David Ross Macdonald (drums) and Tony Bourke.

<i>Up All Night</i> (The Waifs album) 2003 studio album by The Waifs

Up All Night is the fourth studio album by Australian folk band The Waifs, first released by Jarrah in January 2003. Critics reacted more favourably to this release and it has been the band's biggest album to date.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brooke McClymont</span> Australian musician (born 1981)

Brooke Maree McClymont is an Australian singer, songwriter and guitarist. With her two younger sisters, Samantha and Mollie, she is a founder of a country music trio, the McClymonts. She has written songs for Kate DeAraugo and Olivia Newton-John and been a support act for Troy Cassar-Daley and Ronan Keating. Her influences include Sheryl Crow, ABBA, Faith Hill and Alanis Morissette.

<i>Sun Dirt Water</i> 2007 studio album by The Waifs

Sun Dirt Water is the fifth studio album by Australian folk rock band The Waifs. It was released by Jarrah Records on 1 September 2007. It debuted at number two in the ARIA Albums Chart on 10 September. It was certified platinum, for shipment of 70000 units, in 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shane Nicholson (singer)</span> Musical artist

Shane Nicholson is an Australian singer-songwriter from Brisbane. He has released 11 albums, both in Australia and internationally, and has won 3 ARIA Awards, 15 Golden Guitars, and 2 APRA Awards. He's twice been named Producer of the Year at the Country Music Awards of Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vikki Thorn</span> Musical artist

Vikki Elizabeth Thorn is an Australian harmonica player, guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter and one-third of the Australian folk rock band the Waifs. Her elder sister, Donna Simpson, also plays guitar and sings in the group. Vikki has released eight studio albums with the Waifs, and wrote the band's singles, "Bridal Train" (2004) and "Sun Dirt Water" (2007).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adam Brand (musician)</span> Australian country musician

Adam Brand is an Australian country singer-songwriter. Brand released his debut album in 1997. He has since released 14 studio albums and has won 12 Country Music Awards of Australia. Adam Brand has been voted CMC Oz Artist of the Year five consecutive years between 2007 – 2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adam Eckersley (musician)</span> Musical artist

Adam Eckersley is a singer, guitarist and songwriter from Grafton, Australia. He is the former vocalist and lead guitarist of award-winning blues band Bluezone, which have since disbanded. He has also been recently been signed to Universal Music Australia, Eckersley is married to fellow musician, Australian country music singer–songwriter Brooke McClymont, of The McClymonts.

Felicity Ann Urquhart is an Australian country and western music singer-songwriter, and a TV and radio presenter. Her single "Big Black Cloud", co-written with Randy Scruggs, reached No. 1 on Country Tracks National Top 30 Singles Chart in 2007. She has won numerous awards including a Centenary Medal in 2001 "For service to Australian society through country music". Urquhart married musician and producer Glen Hannah in March 2009. She has been the host of country music show Saturday Night Country on Australian Broadcasting Corporation Local Radio since March 2010.

Casey Barnes is an Australian country rock singer-songwriter from Tasmania, Australia who is best known as a contestant on the seventh season of Australian Idol in 2009. Barnes won the ARIA Award for Best Country Album in 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Wolfe Brothers</span> Australian country duo

The Wolfe Brothers are an Australian country music duo consisting of brothers Tom and Nick Wolfe. The group formerly included childhood friends Brodie Rainbird and Casey Kostiuk. The Wolfe Brothers rose to prominence after placing second in season six of Australia's Got Talent.

Margaret Edwina Lumsden, professionally known as Fanny Lumsden, is an Australian country music singer and songwriter. She has released 4 albums and 3 EPs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Morgan Evans (singer)</span> Australian singer-songwriter (born 1985)

Morgan John Evans is an Australian country music singer and songwriter. He released a self-titled debut studio album in March 2014, which peaked at number 20 on the ARIA Albums Chart. Evans also had a crossover hit with "Kiss Somebody" in 2017. In 2019, he won the ARIA Award for Best Country Album for his second studio album, Things That We Drink To. In 2023 performed “long live the Newcastle Knights” live at the home NRL Finals game

Andrew Swift is an Australian country music singer and songwriter. In 2017, Swift was a finalist in the Toyota Starmaker. Swift won two awards at the 2019 Golden guitar awards at the Country Music Awards of Australia.

Brad Cox is an Australian country singer-songwriter from Jindabyne, New South Wales.

Kaylee Bell is a New Zealand singer-songwriter. In 2013, she won the Toyota Star Maker award in Australia, making her the first New Zealand-born artist to win since Keith Urban in 1990. She released her debut studio album, Heart First, later that year. Bell has placed multiple singles in the Top 10 of the Australian Country Music Charts. She is currently the 'Most Streamed Female Country Artist' in Australia. Her second album, Silver Linings was released in November 2021. Bell opened for Brad Paisley on his World Tour NZ show late 2022 alongside Australian country singer Morgan Evans and was support act for Ed Sheeran on his Mathematics World Tour in 2023.

<i>Light It Up</i> (Casey Barnes album) 2022 studio album by Casey Barnes

Light It Up is the seventh studio album by Australian country singer Casey Barnes, released on 25 February 2022 through Chugg Music. The album was announced on 10 November 2021 alongside a national tour that commenced on the album's day of release. It peaked at number 17 on the ARIA Albums Chart.

Andy Golledge is an Australian country music singer and songwriter. He released his debut studio album, Strength of a Queen on 4 March 2022. For Golledge said Strength of a Queen is ultimately a journey saying "It's a search for somebody that loves you for who you are, and who you want to be, and ultimately sharing that journey together. It's about finding the strength of a queen within you and within another."

The Weeping Willows are an Australian country music duo, formed in 2012 consisting of Andrew Wrigglesworth and Laura Coates. They have released three studio albums, The Weeping Willows (2012), Before Darkness Comes A-Callin (2016) and You Reap What You Sow (2022).

TC Cassidy is an Australian country music singer-songwriter.

References

  1. ""Highway One" at ASCAP ACE Title Search". American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP). Retrieved 18 February 2010.
  2. Spencer, Chris; Zbig Nowara; Paul McHenry (2002) [1987]. "Waifs, The". The Who's Who of Australian Rock. Noble Park, Vic.: Five Mile Press. ISBN   1-86503-891-1. Archived from the original on 29 February 2012. Retrieved 18 February 2010. Note: [online] version established at White Room Electronic Publishing Pty Ltd in 2007 and was expanded from the 2002 edition.
  3. "ARIA Awards winners by artist - The Waifs". Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). Retrieved 18 February 2010.
  4. 1 2 "Toyota 52nd Golden Guitar Awards". TCMF. 20 November 2023. Retrieved 23 November 2023.
  5. 1 2 "Nominees Announced for the 52nd Country Music Awards". TCMF. 20 November 2023. Retrieved 23 November 2023.
  6. "The ARIA Report: Week Commencing 17 May 2021". The ARIA Report. No. 1628. Australian Recording Industry Association. 17 May 2021. p. 6.
  7. "Felicity Urquhart & Josh Cunningham 'Birdsong'". ABC. 29 September 2023. Retrieved 13 November 2023.
  8. "Nominees Announced For AIR Independent Music Awards 2022". musicfeeds. 1 June 2022. Retrieved 1 June 2022.
  9. Tyler Jenke (5 August 2022). "Genesis Owusu Wins Big At The 2022 AIR Awards". MusicFeeds . Retrieved 6 August 2022.
  10. Kelly, Vivienne (20 October 2021). "ARIA Awards nominees revealed: Amy Shark & Genesis Owusu lead the charge". The Music Network . Archived from the original on 20 October 2021. Retrieved 24 October 2021.
  11. Gbogbo, Mawunyo (24 November 2021). "You could dub this year's awards the Hip Hop and R'n'B ARIAs". ABC News . Retrieved 25 November 2021.
  12. "Toyota Golden Guitar award nominees announced for event's 50th year". On with the Show. 26 November 2021. Retrieved 23 November 2022.
  13. "Tamworth Toyota Golden Guitar Award Nominees Announced". The Music . 22 November 2022. Retrieved 23 November 2022.