Cummings relives painful crash
Former Guess Who frontman considers therapy in the aftermath of collision
Burton Cummings says he may consult a therapist for the first time to help overcome the psychological fallout of his recent car accident. The former Guess Who frontman says a month after the experience he’s still unable to shake the moment of the collision that totalled his car and left him with several injuries.
“Six or seven times it’s come back to me when I’m trying to sleep — I relive the sound of that crash. Man, I don’t want to sound like a little girl,” Cummings said. “I’m 70, and for the first time in my life I think I’m going to have to get some work done mentally.”
The Winnipeg rocker, who will be honoured with a SOCAN life- time achievement award on June 18, insists he’s “never liked that idea” of paying for a psychotherapist, but would “gladly go” if it helped treat the hallmarks of post traumatic stress.
The musician posted a number of photos of the Los Angeles car accident — and his injuries — on Facebook last month.
The incident hasn’t changed Cummings’ perspective on life much, he insists, but it was one of the reasons he’s largely sworn off using Facebook. The social media platform was a place where he frequently shared memories of his career and photos of rare animals.
But he said a barrage of nasty comments from anonymous users criticizing his posts has left him disillusioned with the platform.
“I’m a pretty laid back guy online,” he said, “But I can’t do it anymore.”
Instead he’s focusing more time on reading books and his career highs, like the upcoming SOCAN award, which honours songwriters and composers. Cummings is known for his songwriting credits on the Guess Who’s American Woman and These Eyes, as well as hit solo efforts like Stand Tall.
“I’ve got a pile of awards, but the writing — that was always something I valued right at the top of the list careerwise,” he said. “Everybody can sing, but people like Elvis Presley, Kenny Rogers, they never wrote any of their own stuff.
“The minute the songwriting around them started to sputter and fail, they fell from grace.”
Cummings hopes to deliver a new album of material soon that’s comprised of songs he’s saved for several years.
He’s become disillusioned with the concept of selling albums, pointing out that “not even Paul McCartney” can score a gold record anymore.
But it was a recent encounter with his old friend Myles Goodwyn at an airport that reinvigorated his passion. The April Wine frontman released a solo album in March that reminded Cummings that he, too, could still put out something fresh.
The latest batch of songs will follow a similar path of his past work, including his most recent effort, 2008’s Above the Ground, which mused on growing older and the greater meaning of life. “The new songs are more curious,” he said.
Other honourees at this year’s SOCAN awards include Sarah McLachlan, Our Lady Peace, Daniel Caesar and Frank Dukes, a songwriter who has worked with the likes of The Weeknd and Camila Cabello.