Burton Cummings

[Jim Colyer]

Canadian Burton Cummings has one of the best voices in all of rock music. He and his band, The Guess Who, had chart success with These Eyes, Laughing, Undun, American Woman & No Time. Everyone knows Burton Cummings' voice when they hear it. Randy Bachman played guitar for The Guess Who and went on to lead Bachman Turner Overdrive. They recorded the classic Taking Care Of Business. Cummings did a series of solo albums in the late 1970s and early 80s that are superb. Stand Tall, Never Had A Lady Before & Charlemagne stand up to anything. The Guess Who's output was voluminous. Why, then, is Burton Cummings and his group so disregarded? It may have to do with the negativism of their lyrics. Their only #1, American Woman, is not only a put down of American women but a put down of America itself. Sure, the song came as Richard Nixon was indiscriminately bombing women and children in Vietnam, but that does not seem to matter. Canadian Cummings is seen as condemning his southern neighbor. Another problem is the name of the band. "The Guess Who" does not tell us anything. You end up thinking they should have chosen a better name. It is too easily confused with the "Who," another band with a bad name. Lastly, Burton Cummings may have never become a superstar because of his personality. He drinks heavily and is known for his massive ego. I talked to one of Cummings' best friends in Nashville who called him an "asshole." Pretty bad coming from a best friend. Nonetheless, Burton Cummings is a great talent.

Edited May 6, 2005 by Jim Colyer

[Kooperman]

American Woman was a mega-hit....it was on the radio constantly. I feel that their biggest hits don't really age that well, but their later albums, after American Woman, still hold up very well.

[Cerebral_Assassin]

I never was a big fan of The Guess Who.......Cummings voice kinda grated on my nerves.....almost sounded like he had a midget goat stuck in his throat.

I did however and still do like "No Sugar Tonight/New Mother Nature".

Eveyone has their own preferences, that's why music is so diversified.

[Redneck4sure]

I liked the Guess Who back in the day.

I still do. Time stands still at the trailer park. :)

[MrBag]

i saw burtomn cummings back them,, his voice to me was execptional

[rainbowdemon]

"Stand Tall" is an awesome song!! One of those songs that can get stuck in my head for days.

:strumma: