Conversations with Eddie Leroy Cunningham

Today we’d like to introduce you to Eddie Leroy Cunningham.

Hi Eddie Leroy, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
“IF YOU NEED A MIRACLE” – A SONG AND ITS JOURNEY

After winning The Jim Beam Country Band Search at The Wildhorse Saloon in Nashville and being named “The Best Unsigned Country Artist in America.” I won Best Gospel at The Independent Music Awards for “Jesus is more than a name,” one of two songs I had featured on The Gram Parsons Notebook. The Last Whipporwill, the three-time Grammy nominated Gram Parsons Tribute Album that topped The Americana charts. I was also awarded “Songwriter of the Year” and “Male Vocalist of the Year” by the C.C.M.A. (California Country Music Association). Those are a few highlights of my early music career. I was recommended to Third Stone Music in Los Angeles, owned by actor Michael Douglas, by my guitar player Danny Pinnella from the Amber Band, a country rock band we started with Barrie Dempsey and Loren Graham in San Diego. When Danny and his band were signed to Third Stone, Betty Rosen in the A&R Department was looking for a country artist to sign, and Danny told her about me. They offered me a Songwriter / Artist contract and had me start writing songs to pitch to artists and songs for movies. I turned in a bunch of songs.
I was asked to attend a roundtable meeting with Michael Douglas and his staff, he presented me to everyone, saying, “This is my new country artist, Eddie Cunningham. He will be our Nashville connection and is an award-winning vocalist and songwriter. Eddie, would you tell everyone about yourself?” I said, “Well, I’m a California native, and I have been writing songs with some great writers, going back and forth to Nashville, performing there, in Los Angeles and San Diego, and recording many of my songs.” Michael said, “Would you play us a song Eddie?” and I said, “Sure, this is a song I performed at The Opry House on TNN for a show called You Can Be A Star hosted by Jim Ed Brown. It’s called “Forever and always in love,” and I wrote it for my parents. They all loved it and applauded, and Michael smiled at me and said, “Stick around. I want to talk with you in my office.” That’s when he asked me to write a song for an upcoming movie.
Third Stone sent me to the screening of Made In America, starring Whoopi Goldberg, Ted Danson, and a young Will Smith. They wanted me to write a song to replace the Eric Clapton song “Running on Faith,” so I did. I went to Tennessee to write with Dennis Knutson, a Hall of Fame writer who wrote many cuts for Buck Owens in Bakersfield and for George Jones and others was signed to Major Bob Music on Music Row. Garth Brooks was also signed there.
I met Dennis Knutson through Lana (Wood) Thrasher, who hired me to sing demos of some of his songs. Dennis and I hit it off, started writing together, and became good friends. Whenever I would come to town, Dennis would pick me up at the airport, I’d stay at his place in Gallatin, and we would write a mess of songs.
When I was asked to write a song for Made In America, I immediately thought of Dennis. Third Stone flew me into Nashville, and Dennis came to pick me up. On our way to his double-wide in Gallatin, we passed a car lot called Miracle Ford. I already had an idea for a verse-chorus melody, but when we passed that car lot, the word MIRACLE stuck with me. I thought, “If I ever needed a miracle, I need one right now.”
So I asked Dennis, “How ’bout a song called “IF YOU NEED A MIRACLE,” and he said, “Okay, let’s write it.” The original first line was; “Jesus has a lot of troubles, too, a whole lot more than you and me”. Dick wanted that opening changed so, It was changed to; “Everybody’s got their troubles too, And It doesn’t matter why you’re feeling blue”. So, soon we had all the verses, and the chorus and Dennis came up with is idea for a bridge section; “I can’t hide this hurtin’ feelin’, It’s as plain as black and white, we’re both prisoners of our freedom, and the chains are way too tight”. Dennis is such a genius for coming up with that perfect lyric. I am always blown away when we write. Lana Thrasher was in charge of the demo session, and she set it up at Bill Hullett’s studio. The recording of “IF YOU NEED A MIRACLE” was magical and quite simple, just piano, dobro, guitar, and bass with some nice stacked harmonies. That demo caught the attention of Dick Rudolf at Third Stone. Originally we all thought of Garth Brooks to sing it, but we couldn’t get a deal done with Bob Doyle, so Dick got Bobby Womack in line, but that didn’t happen either. Then Dick asked Ben E. King, and he was up for it, and we recorded it at Victory Studios in Studio City, California. Nick Martinelli was the producer. Nick liked the dobro in the demo so much that he added it to the master movie soundtrack. I thought that was cool, and In the recording studio, that experience was amazing, a memory I’ll never forget. Ben E. King had never heard the song, so I had to teach it in the sound booth. I fed it to him line by line, and he nailed it with his old school heart and soul.
I was so blown away to have a legendary Soul artist who wrote “Stand By Me” sing my song and You know, it’s funny. When we wrote “Miracle” I wasn’t even thinking about the outcome. It was my first song for a movie, I had no preconceived notions, and I just left it in God’s hands. I wasn’t worried about failing. I just moved forward and did the best I could. I didn’t even think about it. It just happened. Looking back on it now, I see how blessed I was to be working with Movie Star Michael Douglas, and with the legend Ben E. King and to have him sing my song in a movie with Whoopi Goldberg, Ted Danson, and Will Smith.
Sometimes you don’t realize or see how cool stuff is when you’re in the middle of it or until years later. Unplanned things left in God’s hands can unfold in ways that are better and more beautiful than anything you ever thought of. I believe that is the essential nature of both faith and miracles. I am forever grateful. – Eddie Leroy Cunningham
“IF YOU NEED A MIRACLE”
https://youtu.be/wTXD9fWOEHw
Words and music by: Eddie Cunningham and Dennis Knutson
Published by: Eddie Cunningham Music BMI and Major Bob Music ASCAP
Produced by: Nick Martinelli
Vocal Performance by: Ben E. King
For the motion picture Made In America starring Whoopi Goldberg, Ted Danson and Will Smith
Directed by: Richard Benjamin

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
When you become a writer for a publishing company, ideas, opinions, and suggestions come to you from many sides. You have the co-writer or co-writers point of view and input from the publisher, the producer, and the artist. You want to write a song that fits the artist’s style, think several steps ahead on how it will sound, and be so inspired by the genius that you come up with a killer idea and title. I always want to impress the other writers and everyone on board. One of the best comments I ever got was recently from Jimmy James, an artist in Nashville I’ve been writing with. He’s looking for songs to cut for his recording project with his band. He said, “I have been waiting my whole life for a song like this!” about a song I wrote with Mike Alan Ward called “Willie Dukes (The blind man).” That’s a comment you want to hear from an artist you pitch a song to.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Opportunities can pop up unexpectedly in your music career if you’re lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time, and this is one of those times. As a vocalist, there is no greater way to be honored. I met Nancy Leiviska at Billy Block’s Western Beat Anniversary Show at Highland Grounds in Hollywood, where I sang some soulful country songs written with and accompanied by Ed Berghoff. Nancy expressed interest in hiring me as a singer for a project she was doing, so I gave her my number, and she called me with the details. I was blown away to be asked to sing some legendary classic soul songs from Berry Gordy’s Motown catalog and to do them country style. It was a genius idea of Nancy’s, and I am so blessed to be part of it. And these days Nashville has turned Country Soul and we were ahead the trend that’s turned this town upside down. Nancy Leiviska recorded the classic songs at Ed Tree’s studio in Eagle Rock, and I am excited to see where this leads.

Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
Songwriting is my life, and that’s what I do every day. I am constantly searching for new ways of saying things, unearthing old familiar cliches, turning them into songs, and twisting them around to make them more clever. I learned from some of the greatest writers how to turn a phrase, and I am in constant listening mode wherever I may be to catch something interesting that someone says so I can write a song about it. I am Zoom writing with Bob Monroe of The Monroes in San Diego regarding current projects. We’re working on some country songs and some rockers, too; I’m excited about a song we are working on right now called “Old New Kid on the Block” it’s going to be something special. Bob is a very talented musician and an all-around great guy. We always have a good time writing. He comes up with some cool groove ideas and builds tracks fast for us to work with. Bob is also a great harmony singer and arranger. He and fellow bandmate Tony Ortiz sang the heck out of their big hit, “What do all the people know?”
Also, I am performing my songs at clubs, shaking the dust off from the covid break, and you can catch me regularly at Hanks Honky Tonk in Murfreesboro on Memorial on Monday nights with TOAST, the host! At 7:30ish and Mayday Brewery in Murfreesboro on Wednesday nights at 7:00 pm, open mic. “Come on down!” and I have CDs for sell. I always play my Jim Beam winning set and the songs I’ve had recorded along with the new songs I’ve been writing, getting them ready to record and to play shows in Music City Nashville. “Life is good.” And the most important lesson I’ve learned along the way is to keep your nose to the grindstone, learn your craft, and don’t waste time with people who don’t get you and don’t respect you. And have passion in your song.

Contact Info:

• Website: eddieleroycunningham.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eddiecunninghammusicbmi/
• Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/eddiecunningham7
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/badcowboy7
• Youtube: https://youtu.be/h8hkNk6UPq8
• Yelp: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/eddie-leroy-cunningham-jr/186582179
• Other: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=44QQEx-QIRU

Image Credits
Chris Darrow – Eddie Cunningham Head Shot CMT winning moment Eddie with Jim Beam Guitar