Artist Details
← Back to Artists
ID
530
First Name
Stephen
Last Name
Cummings
Display Name
Stephen Cummings
Biography
<p>Australian singer Stephen Cummings is one of Australia's most respected and critically acclaimed artists despite a lack of chart-topping hits during his long and successful career. Cummings began with Melbourne's the Pelaco Brothers during the mid-'70s. He then fronted the Sports for six years before they disbanded in 1981. Cummings' debut single, "We All Make Mistakes," was released in January 1983 and a debut dance-oriented album, <i>Senso</i>, in August 1984. A non-album single, "What Am I Going to Do?," was released in August 1985, before the more laid-back <i>This Wonderful Life</i> in September 1986. In 1987, he collaborated with ex-Sports guitarist Andrew Pendlebury for the single "She Set Fire to the House."</p><p>Another low-key outing, <i>Lovetown</i>, was released in January 1988, and Cummings formed Stephen Cummings Lovetown to tour. His third album, <i>A New Kind of Blue</i>, won the 1989 Australian Record Industry Award (ARIA) for Best Adult Contemporary Album. <i>Good Humour</i>, released in 1990, marked a return to his earlier dance style. His 1992 outing, <i>Unguided Tour</i>, produced a more rock-driven sound. Steve Kilbey of the Church produced Cummings' next two albums, <i>Falling Swinger</i> (1994) and <i>Escapist</i> (1996). In between albums, Cummings recorded a duet with Toni Childs called "Fell From a Great Height." In 1996, Cummings' first novel, Wonder Boy, was published followed by a compilation album in 1997, <i>Puppet Pauper Pirate Poet Pawn & King</i>. Cummings is also the voice and co-writer behind the TV advertisement I Feel Better Now, a popular Australian advertisement for health insurers Medibank Private.</p>— <b>Brendan Swift</b>