Biography
Born in 1947 in Winnipeg, MN, Burton got his musical start with the band the Devrons before joining The Guess Who as lead vocalist and frequent keyboardist in 1965. During his time with The Guess Who Burton sang and co-wrote many hits including “American Woman”, “These Eyes”, “No Time” and “Share the Land”.
As part of The Guess Who, one of Canada’s most successful bands of the late ‘60s and early ‘70s, Burton sold millions of records, toured the world and earned both himself and his band a star on the Canada Walk of Fame. He was also awarded the Order of Canada in 1967, when the band was at its peak in North America, and on the verge of international success. In 1975, he left the band in (which disbanded that same year) to pursue a solo career. This new direction saw Burton regularly charted in Canada, and his 1978 album Dream of a Child was the biggest album in Canadian history at that time. He released a total of eight solo albums from 1976–1990.
Since 1990, Cummings has released another four solo albums. Staying true to his Canadian roots, Burton still resides in Winnipeg from summer until fall, returning to his other home in California for the winter and spring. When he isn’t performing, Burton writes (he published a collection of poems in 2011) and recently has tried his hand out the restaurant industry.
For his multitude of musical contributions, Burton was awarded the Order of Canada in 1967 and was inducted to the Canada Walk of Fame in 2011.
Sources: AllMusic.com, Wikipedia
Quotes
"When we played with Burton I was shocked that his voice was so strong and still intact. We had to move back on the stage. Burton's voice is gigantic!" - Jim Cuddy
"Oh, he's the greatest! We played with him in Windsor about a year ago. We performed 'American Woman' and 'Shakin All Over' together. He was just incredible. Yeah, he's excellent!" - Greg Keelor
"I've always been a fan of Burton Cummings. I saw The Guess Who live at the CNE when they were still playing cover tunes. I saw them play 'Sunshine of Your Love' by The Cream. I was a fan all through the days as they became stars. Being Canadian, you get to see them a lot." - Bazil Donovan
"I have two older sisters. When I was about 12, one was dating a Vietnam Vet who had come home by then. There was quite a generation gap in our house, and a lot of discussions about war and politics. The main album in the house at the time was 1968's Wheatfield Soul." - Bob Egan
"Burton has one of the strongest voices I've ever heard. He sang into Jim's mike and monitor, and he was the loudest thing on stage. Man, I can see why he's so famous. He has a great presence." - Glenn Milchem
"I was briefly introduced to Burton Cummings when we played in Windsor last year. Playing together was a lot a fun. Burton has a big, powerful voice. His dynamic propelled The Guess Who ... I was heavily influenced by The Guess Who. I love their music. I saw them as a kid in their latter years. I missed out on seeing them with Randy Bachman. I would go see them yearly at the (CNE) Grandstand. Now, Burton is at the stage where he can just go and play all the hits. That's all he needs to do." - James Gray