Leigh and Amanda are expecting their second baby any day now. The baby is due on July 12 and it is an exciting time as they grow their family. The new album is still in the pipeline, with the band continuing to work on preproduction of some exciting new material. Stay tuned for a showcase of their new material in September. Unfortunately, unlike the baby, the album is taking a bit longer than 9 months to produce! Will keep you posted on both fronts. Thanks for your support!

What a fantatstic night tonight as the guys had the priviledge of headlining the Austrlian Professional Firefighters Foundation Ball to a sell out crowd of 800 people at The Adelaide Convention Centre. The Ball raises money for Camp Smokey, a camp run to encourage and unite burns survivors as they face the challenges that life brings. The dance floor was packed all night as the guys unleashed a covers set that included the likes of James Brown, Queen and Powderfinger. Thanks to everyone for making it such a successful night.

Hi Guys, I have just updated our myspace site with one of our new songs called "In His Hands". Althought it is only in pre-production phase and rough in a few spots we would love you to check it out and let us know what you think. Our new album is coming along well, we have 8 new songs (6 of which we will be playing at our gig on Dec 2). We are so looking forward to finishing the album and gigging it in 08. Thanks for your patience. See you soon. Leigh

Leigh and the guys are gigging busily over the next couple of weeks in Adelaide. Over the past few months The Leigh Cunningham Band have been developing new material and will be testing it out over the next three weekends. Songs such as In His Hands, The Gift, Crossroads, Lay It Down, and See Right Through carry on the high standards that the guys set for their music, both in performance and communicating a message to their audience. Why not get along and check it out! Click Here to see upcoming performance dates...

There are sometimes when you play music and it feels like it was what you were born to do. Sometimes it's in your lounge room just playing a song for yourself (and your wife and daughter who have no choice but to listen because they share a house with you!). Last night it was in front of 10000 people on the banks of the River Torrens in my home town of Adelaide. It was a significant night for me. Firstly it was the largest crowd that Steve, Geoff, Pete and I have played together in front of, but it's not about the numbers. It was signinficant to me because around me I could see the power that music has to unite people of different nationalities, different cultures, and different beliefs. As we played, I caught a glimpse of something special, as people celebrated their diversity but came together as one to celebrate together. It was the last night of one of the biggest sporting events Adelaide has ever seen, and as I walked along the Torrens at 1am and pondered what it all meant I couldn't help but think it was more than just a sporting event.To me it was a reminder of how amazing things happen when people put aside their differences and unite with a common purpose of building eachother up, encouraging and celebrating.  I reckon that's something we should see more of in the world. What do you reckon?

Thanks to all those who shared it with us. You made it a night I will never forget. Till next time. Leigh

The boys are back with a vengeance! The Coopers Alehouse on Torrens will be jumping on Saturday March 24th as The Leigh Cunningham Band fire up at the World Police and Fire Games Village. The Venue will be a purpose built marquee on the banks of The Torrens adjacent to the Convention Centre, and will be the central hub of entertainment at the World Police and Fire Games. The guys will perform two action packed sets between 10pm and 11:30pm. Doors open to General Public at 9pm, $5 Entry.

Leigh will be performing at the World Police and Fire Games Opening Ceremony at ther Adelaide Oval on Friday March 16. The World Police and Fire Games will draw over 12000 participants to Adelaide from nearly 60 nations around the globe. Leigh will be performing "I Am Australian" at the Opening Ceremony, which also boasts The Choirboys and Rogue Traders on the line up. Gates open at 5pm, tickets available from VenueTix free of charge.

Putting an exclamation point on what has been a fantastic year for the Leigh Cunningham Band was the news that Burn was the 75th most played song on The Rock Across Australia Chart in 2006. Burn peaked at number 6 and spent over 3 months in the chart.

Leigh has received a Top 5 nomination for "Best Solo Male" in the dB Magazine Readers Awards for 2006. The Awards are peoples choice, so get online and vote for your favourite South Australian Artists. Hurry, voting closes November 26, 2006. Click here to vote!

My Space is a great place to check out your favourite bands and keep in touch with whats happening. I have just finished updating my My Space site with some special treats for visitors. I have just uploaded a song that I have been working on that has never heard before now. It's called "Lay It Down", and it will be on the site for a limited time only. Have a listen and make a comment, we would love to get your feedback! You will also find a (downloadable) 5 minute interview that I recently did with Tim Long from Sonshine FM in Perth. You can listen to the Burn (2006) radio edit and as a gift you can down load a free copy of my song "You Are The One." Check it out, subscribe to my friends list and send me a message. Looking forward to having you at MySpace!

Click Here to check out Leigh's MySpace Site

The first national single from Leigh's debut recording entitled "Burn" has peaked at No.6 on The Rock Across Australia Chart this week. "Burn" has been on the chart for 3 months and was one of the fastest movers on the chart this week climbing three places to grab a place well inside the top ten. "Burn" is receiving great airplay across all states and was the 6th most played song on the 25 radio stations from across Australia included in the survey. Click here to check out The Rock Across Australia for the current week.

Huge excitement in the Cunningham family today with the safe arrival of Maycie Adeline Cunningham at 8am this morning. Maycie immediately charmed everyone with her cute looks and alert personality. Amanda (who handled everything like an absolute champion) and Maycie are both doing well and loving life. Dad is over the moon and incredibly proud of his girls!!

Hi Everyone. Just wanted to say a huge thanks to all those people who showed up at the Garage last Friday night to make our gig a huge success. On behalf of Steve, Pete, Geoff and myself we were blown away by the way people have supported us in what we do. We loved seeing the amount of people that know our music when we play live and are very appreciative of all our home town friends in Adelaide who get behind us. What made the gig so enjoyable for us was the energy that we got from the crowd. Thanks for making it such a great night guys. Lets do it again soon!!

"Burn"-the first single from Leigh's album "The View From Here" debuted on The Rock Across Australia's Contemporary Top 30 this week. This follows it's national release to radio via Woodlands Media's Mezzanine program. "It's exciting to see that radio stations are supporting "Burn", it's a sign that they like what they are hearing and that it caters for their audiences taste," Leigh remarked. The song has received great feedback from audiences around the country, and continues to be a high point of their live performances. "Burn tells the story of how love can make a cold and hardened heart on fire again, it's about overcoming the experiences in our lives that want to paralyse us through rejection, and living life as it was designed to be lived,-to it's fullest."

Click here to purchase your copy of "The View From Here" (Secure Site)

The Leigh Cunningham Band will be playing at The Garage for a special after work perfromance on July 28. The band will be performing between 6:30pm and 9:30pm. The show will be the bands only pub performance for a few months as Leigh and Amanda prepare for the arrival of their first child in early September. The band will be performing songs from "The View From Here" as well as some new material to give you a taste of things to come. The Gararge is located at 163 Waymouth Street, Adelaide.

"I remember reading that the number one fear for both men and women is death by fire. One man who faces this fear every day is Adelaide firefighter, youth worker and singer, Leigh Cunningham.

He's been writing and performing his songs in pubs, churches, conferences, and youth groups since the early 1990's. His music has been aired in the Channel 10 documentary Cry Bali, After Midnight and the networks Celebrate Christmas special.

While many firefighters across the globe sing, few singers are full-time firefighters. His job constantly reminds him that life is a precious gift. "I love working in a field where I am aiming to preserve life and give people another chance," says Cunningham. "But while my occupation is to put out fires, when it comes to my music, my passion is to set fires in people's hearts."

So it's not surprising then that with Leigh''s job and his music so entwined, his first national radio song is called "Burn!" "Burn is about a heart that has grown cold. It's ash. It's icy. Basically, someone breathes life back into it and sets it ablaze again," he explains.

At the core of who Leigh Cunningham isas a person is a burning desire to make a positive impact on the community through his job and his music. "Whether it's in the way I conduct myself at a fire when someone's house is burning down or singing a song that inspires people to keep going, to hang on and be people of faith, it's a huge way to invest my time."

Heather Want writes for Woodlands Media.

The Australian Gospel Music Festival (AGMF 06) was bigger and better than ever again this year with over 40000 people jamming into the (normally!) quiet city of Toowoomba over the Easter long week-end. Leigh kicked off proceedings at the AGMF Big Top on Good Friday with an intimate acoustic set, before handing over to Ireland's Robin Mark. Leigh also performed on the Compassion Stage and spoke of his passion to see Australians make a difference in the lives of the world's poorest children through child sponsorship through Compassion. It was a great opportunity for Leigh to showcase material from "The View From Here" and enhance his reputation as a singer, songwriter and communicator with an exciting future.

Photo courtesy of Trent Rouillon Photography

Hi guys. I received this email after my recent trip to Melbourne.

On Sunday night you visited my church.  You played one song in particular that really touched me.  You played the song "You are the one" and got us to really turn our minds to God. When you sang your song, it really touched my heart and spoke to me. After hearing you sing that song I knew I had to get a copy of it.  I listen to that song each night, all night.  Feeding my heart, mind and soul with those words:

Never forget that
You are the one you're special enough to die for
You are the one that someone would give their life for
You are the one he loves to see you smiling
You are the one the one worth loving.

And now I'm saying No, to several more things:
No hanging my head low.  I'm loved, I'm special and I'm worthy.
No being too scared to approach people and make friends.  I'm worth loving.
No letting sadness rule my life.  He loves to see me smiling.  He gave His life for me to live mine.  And live my life is what I am now going to do.
No letting what goes on around me or my insecurities come between my relationship with God.
No letting shame dictate how I hold myself, how I interact with other people, what I do in my day, how I live.  No more.  From today on I live my life the way God created me to.

Never forget it! Hope this message encourages you as much as it has me.

All the best.

Leigh

Leigh will perform at the Australian Gospel Music Festival (AGMF) in Toowoomba again this year over the Easter week-end, April 14-17, 2006. We have just confirmed that Leigh will be doing a 30 minute performance at The Big Top in the lead up to Robin Mark (Revival in Belfast) from 2pm on Good Friday, and will perform again at the SU cafe from 4:20pm on Sunday afternoon. AGMF is a fantastic event for people of all ages. Check out www.agmf.com.au for all the details and to find out how to get your tickets. Headline artists this year include The Newsboys (with Paul Colman), Rebecca St. James, Nathan Tasker, Superchick & Robin Mark.

Leigh will be heading to Melbourne on the week-end of March 10-12 for the Forest Edge Music Festival. Leigh will be performing on the River Stage at the festival at 5:30pm on Saturday March 11. Check out  www.forestedgefestival.com for details and tix.

Leigh will also be performing at various venues on Sunday March 12, check the schedule section for more details.

A huge welcome a board to Flow FM and Rhema FM Mount Gambier who have been playing Leigh on their stations for the last few weeks. (Flow FM have even included Leigh on their station banner and artist page...Thanks guys!) Both stations broadcast in regional SA meaning that Leigh's music is being heard over an even wider area. These stations join a growing list of radio stations across Australia who are giving Leigh's music airplay not just because of the great sound, but also the positive message and outlook that his music conveys.

Leigh will be performing in Mt Gambier on Sunday January 22, and he will be at Redcliffs on the Eyre Peninsula from February 10 to 12.

Well what a year it's been! 2005 has been another great year and sometimes it's good to look back and see where you've come from as you continue the journey to where you are going.

Firstly, it has been great to travel this year. I have been lucky enough to play to fantastic audiences in Queensland, New South Wales, ACT, Victoria, and of course my home state of South Australia in 2005. Hopefully 2006 will see me get to Western Australia, Tasmania and the Northern Territory, I am working on it!

It has also been encouraging to do well in a number of music awards this year, including a top ten finish at the 2005 Music Oz Awards, and "My Prayer For You" taking out "Best Pop Song" at the 2005 AGMA's. It is so encouraging when people get behind your music and support it.

Last but not least, the highlight for me has been the conversations and emails that I have had with people who choose to respond to my music by sharing some of their own story. This is the hugest privilege, and for me, it is what it's all about.  Thanks for being a part of it in 2005, and I look forward to sharing the journey with you in 2006.

All the best.

Leigh

Leigh, Steve, Geoff and Pete recently donned their Sunday best and prettied themselves up to take some video footage for "Burn" and "Only You". The footage will be used in the program "Celebrate Christmas" which is currently scheduled to screen at 1:30pm on Christmas day on Network 10. The program is hosted by Peter Thomas and features interviews with a variety of Australian people discussing their thoughts on what Christmas means to them. If you have the box on in the background on Christmas day then keep an eye out for the guys!! Click here to learn more about "Celebrate Christmas".

Leigh and the guys will also be celebrating Christmas at various Community events around Adelaide over the coming weeks. Check out the schedule dates and get along and celebrate Christmas!

Celebrations today as "My Prayer For You" took out 2005's Best Pop song at this years AGMA's in Canberra. Leigh performed an acoustic version of "Burn" at the awards, alongside artists such as The Borderers, Israel, and Malaysian Idol's Muwita Suwito. "Burn" recieved a commendation for lyrical excellence. Leigh also performed at the National Gospel Happening in Canberra, where local radio station 1WayFM did their first ever live cross for Leigh's set on the Saturday night. Canberra was Leigh's final stop on a twelve day tour that saw him perform in Melbourne and Canberra, while also starting work on some new material in Brisbane.

Leigh with 1WayFM's John and Rosy

Leigh is excited to be performing in Melbourne and the ACT during the month of November. Leigh will be in Melbourne from November 10 to 14 before heading to Brisbane for five days to start recording some new material with producer Craig Ross. He then jets to the Australian Capital where he is performing at the Australian Gospel Music Awards, where "Burn" and "My Prayer For You" are in contention for an award. Leigh will perform a number of times while in the ACT between the 18th and 21st of November. Check tour dates for more details.

Everyone is all smiles today with the safe arrival of Steve and Jenny's second son Jesse! Jesse was born today at the North Eastern Community Hospital, and is a gorgeous little brother for Lachlan.

Steve will be taking a break from the band for a few months so that he can spend more time with Jen, Lachy and Jesse. Steve's last gig was at Northside Christian Life Centre on September 25th. At the gig I was able to thank Steve for all his support over the last 10 years (yep! it's really that long) and let him know how much Geoff, Pete and I appeciate the sacrifices he has made so that we can do what we do as a band. We wish Steve, Jen, Lachy and Jesse all the best during this exciting time. While Steve is taking some time off, Matt Eldridge (of Innhaus Fish fame) will be helping us out on bass.

Exciting news this week was that "Burn" and "My Prayer For You" have progressed to the final round of the Australian Gospel Music Awards. The awards are judged on musical and lyrical content for and are open to entries from right across Australia. "With a record number of entries being submitted this year it is exciting that Burn and My Prayer For You have been recognised for their ability to bring a message of hope to the listener," Leigh said. Leigh has also been invited to play at the National Gospel Happening, a national showcase of gospel music that is taking place in Canberra from November 17 to 20 in Canberra. Stay Tuned...

Hi guys,

I got a letter from a friend of mine and Amanda's this week who has been in hospital. I think she is extremely brave and has overcome some really difficult circumstances in her life. She wrote:

"I'm in hospital at the moment, listening to my song, Song for the Oppressed. As I listen it makes me think. As I make the hardest choices in my life I listen and I know I'll get through. I know that life won't be like this for ever. It makes me realise that I have alot to live for..."

I wrote Song for the Oppressed at one of the lowest points in my life. I wrote it to testify that even when situations seem impossible that we need to lift up our eyes and see beyond our current circumstances. To see that life won't always be this way. I believe in a God who created us because he loves us and who promises us "I will never leave you or forget about you." When we see ourselves through his eyes we realise that we really do have a lot to live for.

So as you walk through valleys low, your hopes and dreams they are your treasure never let them go. So as you take the hits my friend, keep your eyes fixed firmly on the prize that waits there at the end, and you...keep on living for a better day and you...don't believe that life will always be this way.

It won't always be this way.

Hang in there.   Leigh

On the week end of August 13, Leigh, Pete, Steve and Geoff piled into the ute of Ryan Beames and made the trek to a mysterious town on the Yorke Peninsula to which they had never ventured before called Kulpara. Rumour had it that the people were friendly and the young people fired up, but we found that to be a complete understatement!!

The town came alive on Saturday night as hundreds of people came from miles around to be a part of a night that contained challenge, music, and some of the best full contact bush dancing we have ever witnessed. After the crew from Edithburgh AOG led us in worship Leigh shared a message on what it really means to live a good life, and challenged people to make the most of the gift of life they have been given. The Leigh Cunnningham Band then injected some rock before the bodies started flying in a Hoe-Down of epic proportions. Leigh, Pete and Ryan were also lucky enough to share in the Kulpara Uniting Service on Sunday morning. It was a great weekend, and we would like to thank the Kulpara Uniting Youth for allowing us to be a part of it, and all the crew from the Yorke Peninsula for their support.

Ever tried asking a 5 year old where a song comes from? On Saturday July 9 Leigh did just that when he visited the Australian College of Entertainment in New South Wales. Leigh conducted song writing workshops with students aged from 5 to 15 years old and was blown away by the depth of responses he got from the students. "I asked the students questions like; what is a song? what would you write a song about? and where do songs come from? I was blown away by the answers the kids gave. We concluded that a song is a present that you can give to others, it comes from the heart, and that we write songs about things that we love and things that have affected us." It was a morning full of fun and laughs with local percussionist Hector getting the kids involved in playing a wide variety of instruments. "It was a great time with the kids," Leigh reflected. "Any investment you can make to encourage our young people to create and give their gift to the world is a worthwhile one."

For more info about the Australian College of Entertainment in NSW go to http://www.ace.org.au. ACE is also taking enrolments for it's school education program, commencing in 2006. 

The first single taken from "The View from Here" - Burn, is recieving solid airplay along the East Coast of Australia. Stations such as Light FM (Melb), and Rhema FM (Geelong & Port Maquarie) have been giving the song support, while 1Way FM (Canberra) have this week added it to their "Hot List". www.onewayfm.com/Music/hotlist.html 

Let us know what station you heard Leigh on (and what song you heard) so we can set up links to your station from our website.

Parts of Leigh's song SOS have been used in a recent documentary called "Touched By Their Light". The documentary focusses on Teen Suicide, and will be airing nationally on the Seven Network. Leigh says "I wrote SOS when I was a teenager, and it really was a cry for help at that time. I hope that this documentary can help people to understand more about the issue of teen suicide, and the struggles that young people face during these years."

Thanks to those who emailed us in regards to Leigh's appearance on Channel 10's "Around Midnight" in the early hours of Thursday 28/4/05. The Interview was recorded in June 2004 and although we knew it had already aired on the East Coast, we were oblivious to the show screening in Adelaide, so thanks for letting us know. The interview lasts for about 30 mins and features a brief TV edit of "My Prayer For You" and Leigh discussing issues such as life, faith, music, and other random stuff! We are currently sourcing a copy, so if you are keen to have a look just drop us an email. Leigh and Geoff Payne were also lucky enough to meet the "Joe Chindamo Trio" on set (see picture below). Joe and the guys are the regular jazz trio featured on the show, which is hosted by Peter Thomas.

Article Taken from "The Advertiser" Friday, January 28, 2005

Fame and fortune are overrated. Well, he hopes so anyway. "That's not what drives me," singer/songwriter Leigh Cunningham says. The fireman who moonlights as a musician also visits schools and talks to students about positive life choices.

"I use music to encourage people," he says. "Music touches you in a way that spoken word can't sometimes." In 2003 he wrote That Day, a tribute to those whose lives were lost in the September 11 attacks and the Bali bombings. It was used in Channel 10's documentary Cry Bali.

"I hope that through my music, people will change the way they look at life and look at themselves." "I know it sounds a little cliche, but it's really the way I feel." He began playing 12 years ago but he doesn't tend to get out the guitar on slow nights at the station. And yes, he's done the Firies calendar. "I've had enough of a hard time about the calendar," he says laughing. "I stupidly thought when I did it that no one I knew would see it, but obviously I was very wrong."

Leigh was last year nominated for a South Australian Music Industry Award for Most Outstanding Male Vocalist and released his debut CD The View From Here in May. He will perfrom with the Leigh Cunningham Band at The Wakefield Hotel tomorrow night, with special guests Forgone Conclusion. Entry is free, but people are encouraged to make a donation to those affected by the Eyre Peninsula bushfires.

Written by Rebekah Devlin.

Undoubtedly all of us are shocked by the devastation that occured as a result of the Tsunami that hit numerous countries in South East Asia on December 26th 2004. The pictures have given us only a glimpse of what has happened and how many lives have been affected. The challenge for those of us who are a little more distant from this tragedy is to allow what has happened to stir us into action to help in some way. I want to encourage you to consider giving financially to organisiations that are working to assist the sick, displaced and hurting people in these countries. I am an advocate for Compassion Australia, and have seen first hand how effective the work of Compassion is in the lives of some of the world's poorest children. Compassion ensures that at least 90% of money given to the Tsunami Disaster Relief Appeal will go directly to providing relief in some of the worst affected areas. Call Compassion today on 1800 224 453 or go to http://www.compassion.com.au to not only make your donation, but to invest into the lives of people in need at this time.

Together we can make a difference. 

God bless ya, Leigh.

Leigh will kick off 2005 with a number of live performances at Sonfest 2005 in Boonah, Queensland. The festival runs from Thursday January 20th until Saturday January 22nd, and features artists such as Third Day, Audio Adrenaline, and Grits. Leigh will play an accoustic set on the Village Stage on Thursday night, and will also perform in the Nourish Showcase Tent on the Friday and Saturday at various times during the day and night. It is an exciting start to the new year as Leigh takes "The View From Here" to interstate crowds across Australia.

Leigh and Amanda fulfilled a life-long dream today when they visited the Hanika Student Centre in Rwanda. Leigh and Amanda visited two children in Rwanda that they are sponsoring through Compassion Australia. "Visiting Claude and Nikuze here in Rwanda is something we have always dreamed of doing, and today it became a reality. We visited the Hanika Student Centre and met the project manager and the social workers at the project, and then we went to meet Claude and Nikuze's families. We were pretty nervous at first, but as soon as we saw the kids the nerves were replaced by huge smiles. It's amazing to see how much of a difference child sponsorship through Compassion can make," Leigh reflected. Leigh has been an advocate for Compassion for several years, speaking of the work of Compassion at his live performances and offering the opportunity to sponsor a child. "I have always been passionate about the work of Compassion, but seeing first hand the work they are doing in the lives of these children makes me even more determined to get the message out there. People need to see the dramatic difference that as little as $36 a month can make in the life of a child in poverty." Asked about his favourite part of the visit, Leigh said that it was definitely kicking the soccer ball with Claude. "Even though we don't speak the same language, just playing soccer and having a laugh was a great way to communicate to eachother. It's something I will never forget." To learn more about compassion go to www.compassion.com.au or click on the links section of the website.

Leigh & Amanda visited Harvest Ministries in Kerala, India this week, and were blown away by the amazing people they encountered. Harvest is an orphanage, school and bible college in India that is doing an awesome work with children from many backgrounds. "Amanda has been involved with Harvest for years, but this is a first for me." Leigh said. "The people here are inspiring, they have so many stories of faith and victory over really tough circumstances." Leigh and Amanda were able to share a number of days with the children and students and were able to witness first hand just how creative and talented they are at the monthly entertainment night. Leigh was also able to share some music and words of encouragement. "It's definitely the first time I've had a human mic stand!" Leigh laughed. (See Picture) " Harvest is the kind of places that once you have been there and seen what they are doing, your perspective is changed forever."