Southern Troubadour

In today’s vast and cluttered music landscape even the most talented of songwriters can sometimes find their battle cries reduced to whispers. Yet for Charleston-based songwriter Luke Cunningham it’s the outright refusal to be lost in the shuffle — as well as his energetic live show and acclaimed songwriting — that have the southern troubadour currently beating the odds while giving independent artists a little hope to hold onto. Cunningham and his band come home to Charleston when they play  Fiery Ron’s Home Team BBQ this Thursday, Jan. 25.
Though he has spent numerous years on the road touring alongside national acts such as The Fray, Gin Blossoms, and Donavon Frankenreiter, ultimately it was Cunningham’s release of his solo debut Heart Pressure in 2012 that first forced music fans to sit up and take notice.
By the end of 2012 two songs from Heart Pressure had become top-requested songs on Charleston’s The Bridge 105.5FM (WCOO) and the album itself was named by Charleston Scene’s as one of the ‘Top Five Local Albums of The Year.’
Cunningham’s commitment to his craft didn’t go unnoticed either. Nominated ‘2012 Songwriter of The Year’ by Charleston City Paper, he was also chosen by the American Society of Authors & Composers (ASCAP) as one of only 14 nationally-selected songwriters to be part of ASCAP’s 2012 Lester Sills Songwriters Workshop in Los Angeles.
Despite the success of the album and rush of praise from both regional and national music outlets, Cunningham and band are quick to admit they’re not keen on reveling in the past. For them, writing songs and making new music remains forever paramount.
Luke Cunningham plays Thursday, Jan. 29 at Home Team BBQ, located at 1205 Ashley River Road. For more information call 225-7427 or visit www.hometeambbq.com.