Larry Cunningham facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Larry Cunningham
Publicity photo
Background information
Born	(1938-02-13)13 February 1938 Clooneen, Mullinalaghta, County Longford, Ireland
Died	28 September 2012(2012-09-28) (aged 74) Dublin, Ireland
Genres	Country and Irish
Occupation(s)	Singer
Years active	1961–2012
Associated acts	The Mighty Avons and The Country Blue Boys

Larry Cunningham (born February 13, 1938 – died September 28, 2012) was a famous Irish country music singer. He was a very important person in the "showband" music scene during the 1960s and 1970s. Larry achieved many "firsts" in his music career. For example, in 1964, he became the first Irish artist to have a song, "Tribute to Jim Reeves", appear on the British music charts!

Larry Cunningham's Life Story

Larry grew up in a small farming family with six brothers and sisters. This was in a place called Clooneen, near Granard in County Longford, Ireland. When he was 16, he finished school and went to England. There, he worked as a carpenter. In his free time, he enjoyed playing Irish traditional music and gaelic football.

In 1958, Larry came back to Ireland. He continued working as a carpenter. Soon, he joined a part-time band called the Grafton Showband. But in 1961, he decided to become a full-time musician. He became the lead singer of a band called the Mighty Avons, which was based in Cavan. This band mostly played songs by Jim Reeves and other country music.

Becoming Famous

The Mighty Avons first became well-known in 1963. They were supporting Jim Reeves during his tour in Ireland. During a concert in Lifford, Jim Reeves walked off the stage. He was unhappy with the piano provided. The Avons, as they were often called, took over and entertained the crowd. This brought them a lot of attention and praise.

In December 1964, Larry Cunningham and the Mighty Avons had a big hit song. It was called "Tribute to Jim Reeves." This song reached the top 10 on the Irish Singles Chart. It also entered the British charts, which was a first for an Irish artist! They even performed on the famous TV show Top of the Pops. This was another first for an Irish act and really helped their career. Their biggest hit was "Lovely Leitrim" in September 1965. It stayed at number one on the charts for four weeks. The Avons often toured Ireland, playing to huge crowds. They also appeared on television many times and performed in Britain, the US, and other countries.

New Beginnings and Later Years

In late 1969, Larry left the Mighty Avons. He joined with another band called The Fairways to form Larry Cunningham and the Country Blue Boys. Larry continued to have success with his new band. After he got married in 1972, he stopped touring regularly. Instead, he focused on occasional concerts and recording music. He continued to have songs in the top 10 until the mid-1970s. He kept performing sometimes for the rest of his life. In recent years, collections of his music have been released. A book about his life has also been published.

Larry married Beatrice Nannery in February 1972. Beatrice worked for him, managing a supermarket he owned. They had four children and two grandchildren. Larry passed away on September 28, 2012, after being ill for a long time.

Larry Cunningham's Music

Larry Cunningham and his bands released many songs and albums. Here are some of their recordings:

Singles

Albums