Austin Cunningham: A Work In Progress

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Early on in his career, Garland, Texas native Austin Cunningham carved out a place for himself as a songwriter. He has had songs recorded by artists such as Hank Williams, Jr., Martina McBride, Dolly Parton, Wynonna, Chris Knight, Del McCoury, and the list goes on. Austin has songs on feature film soundtracks including Ashley Judd’s Where the Heart Is, and the Richard Gere/Winona Ryder film, Autumn in New York.

Although writing is Austin’s first passion, he is no slouch at performing, blazing a trail with live shows across the U.S. and is a favorite on the Texas Music Scene.

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He and his music are featured in "Hey Dillon", a documentary about one of the "last great DJs", Brett Dillon of KHYI in Dallas. Austin has performed at the Sundance Film Festival for the Bluebird Café On the Road series, and a few years back, was awarded the coveted Johnny Mercer Award for “Emerging American Songwriters”.

With a strong voice and some of the best guitar playing you’ll ever hear; he always manages to captivate his audience. Whether performing an acoustic solo or rocking the house with a strat and a full band, it is entertainment at its best. This is just good, roots music mixed with great stories.

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Alan Mercer:  Austin, I always think of you as this incredible storyteller within a bunch of different music genres.

Austin Cunningham:  I’ve been doing it awhile, so I know a few things about storytelling, but you are right about all the genres. It doesn’t work out as well as you might think it would, career-wise, but I love everything. I love a melody ballad like the Everly Brothers song when I was a kid, ‘Unchained Melody.’ I love that song. It flipped me out. I’m a sucker for a good melody, even though I love lyrics so much and the story is so hugely important to me, I love those melodies. I’ve got a song titled ‘In Style Again’ and it’s close to one of those melodies I’m talking about.

AM:  I love that song and it does have a gorgeous, strong melody.

AC:  I always wanted Merle Haggard to cut that song, but it did get cut by Jim Ed Brown, of all people. It was the last record he made and Bobby Bare produced that record. I got to tell Bobby how much I appreciated him backstage at the opry. You know, Bobby Bare is as much responsible for the whole Texas music movement in the 70’s as anybody.

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AM:  You’ve had your songs covered by some great names. I love the Dolly Parton recording of ‘Why Can’t We.’

AC:  Dolly Parton is probably one of my all-time favorite cuts. It’s about getting along and it’s even more apropos than it was 20 years ago when she cut it. That Steve Buckingham production is unbelievable.

AM:  How did it feel back then when you heard these songs on the radio?

AC:  It was amazing.

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AM:  Did you ever hear a production of your song and think it wasn’t so good?

AC: The answer is yes, to most of them, honestly. I have had a hundred major label songs cut and there might be 20 that I love. I hate saying that. I probably wouldn’t have said that in Nashville and I probably shouldn’t say it now.

AM:  I don’t hear you singing any of these songs that other people have recorded.

AC:  You are like thousands of people who have asked me why don’t I do a record of the songs I’ve got recorded? It is ten years past time for me to do that and it’s on the docket and I should because those songs still have life in them.

AM:  Why haven’t you done it already?

AC:  Here’s why, I was all about the songs, even more than my performance of it. I always called myself a Songwriter/Singer instead of a Singer/Songwriter. If I had to choose, I would stick with songwriting. If I couldn’t perform, I would be OK, but if I couldn’t write songs, I would not be OK.

AM:  You do have that coveted Johnny Mercer Songwriter Award.

AC:  I’m extremely proud of that award that is given to one writer from Los Angeles, one writer from New York and one writer from Nashville.

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AM:  I can tell that recording has not been a priority for you as you only have 5 albums out in over 20 years.

AC:  I know I needed to have one every year but...

AM:  Now people only release one song at a time.

AC:  Oh, I know. I hate the way music is released now. I’m definitely on the old school side. I’ve decided to stick with my old school ways, and I will tell you why. If I was behind in the way music is being recorded or performed, I’d quit the business, or I would adjust and get what I needed to be competitive, yet authentic like I want to be. 

AM:  You are definitely authentic.

AC:  The reason I don’t like the way it’s done now is because we are all being funneled into our phones by a few companies. I’m very up on technology, but I’m not liking the way music is played on Pandora and Spotify and all of them because they don’t pay the songwriters hardly anything. 

AM:  Oh I know. Its horrible.

AC:  It’s a fraction of a penny, so I’m going to keep making CDs and I’m doing vinyl for the kids. If you look in Walmart, they still sell CDs, not like they used to, but they still have them and they have vinyl records too. Now people want millions of downloads so I’m still doing I-tunes and Apple, but I will continue to do old school stuff. I do need to release some new music because I am getting behind with all the songs I’ve written.

AM:  You do not need to be over-produced either.

AC:  I know, my records should be less produced. I’ve heard that before. I love all my records, but we all listen to them a few years later and think it should have been produced differently. It’s about me and the story I’m trying to get to. I do think the story gets across on my records, but sometimes it could get across better.

AM:  Your latest album, ‘Country and Western Music’ is awesome and so is the one before.

AC:  I love those records. They are getting there for me.

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AM:  I love the harder edge you give to some of your songs.

AC:  I know some people put out a record where all the songs sound similar and whether they are slow ballads or more up-tempo songs, they all blend in together and I do like that, but that doesn’t fit my personality. I love that harder edge. I was a Steve Earle fan when I was a kid. I like it all. But I love that hard side.

AM: Do you agree that Texas has a ton of creative energy for music?

AC:  Totally, this state is incredibly rich in talent. Also, it’s a much freer environment to write what we want. Even when I was co-writing in Nashville for my publishing deals, I still would always write songs by myself so I would have something to record, whether anybody else liked them or not.

AM:  We need a Gospel album from you.

AC:  I have one and it’s usually for sale at my shows but it’s out of print and I need to get some more. I am going to re-release that one. I end my shows with my most favorite song I’ve ever written or ever will write called ‘With His Arms Wide Open.’ It’s been recorded by several people.

AM:  Before we end this, can you tell me how big a part your spirituality plays in your life?

AC:  Thank you for asking that question because it plays a huge part in my life. To me it’s really everything. God is everything to me. He has forgiven me a thousand times for the same sins. I don’t always succeed but I do try to be the best I can be. I am a work in progress

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