Tommy Cunningham
Tommy Cunningham | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Thomas Cunningham |
| Origin | Drumchapel, Glasgow, Scotland |
| Genres | Pop |
| Occupation(s) | Drummer Songwriter |
| Instrument(s) | Drums Vocals |
| Years active | 1982 - present |
Thomas "Tommy" Cunningham (born 22 June 1964, Drumchapel, Glasgow) is a Scottish musician, best known as the drummer for Wet Wet Wet.
Cunningham's father, Tom Sr., bought his son his first drum kit in 1977, "down the Social Club for £15". Shortly thereafter, a chance meeting with Graeme Clark on the school bus brought the two together.Over the next few years the two recruited fellow school friends Mark McLaughlan and Neil Mitchell and concentrated on writing their original songs and perfected their song writing craft [1]
Cunningham acrimoniously left the band in 1997 after a dispute over royalty payments,[2] and the band went on tour in 1998 without him. At its conclusion, the three remaining members went their separate ways. In 2004, however, they reunited.
Cunningham owned a [taxicab|taxi] firm in Glasgow but sold it in 2008 to concentrate again on music. He still owns his local pub, The Village Tavern in Duntocher. In 2010 Cunningham along with Billy Sloan (DJ journalist) put on a benefit show for their friend Tim Steven (Tiger Tim, DJ ) Stevens suffers from multiple sclerosis and due to his illness had been forced to quit his job at Radio Clyde. On the same bill were Midge Ure, Jim Diamond, Gerard Kelly, Marti Pellow, Paulo Nutini and many more.
Tommy plays on Jim Diamond’s latest album “City of Soul” released by Camino Records (catalogue number CAMCD40, release date 3rd October 2011) [3]. All proceeds from this album of Soul covers benefit the children's charity Radio Clyde Cash For Kids [4].