Alan Cunningham: News

Last weekend I sang in Lyndon. It was a fun night and I got to sing many of my songs. All different kinds. The best part was I got to see old friends and students that I hadn't seen in many, many years. It was great seeing their families and we talked about the old times.
I'm singing this weekend at the tractor show in Ottawa. I sing for just a short time but I always have a good time there. My Little Red Tractor song is always a hit. If your there stop by and sing along.
This year school is busy we have started working on the 4th and 5th grade concert. "Vote 2008" A lot of good songs, two are mine. The best part is talking with the students about how important it is to vote. Something that is a right for us all and something that we need to do. The future is to important not to care!!!!
I'm also a football coach this year at West Franklin, the school that Cord goes to and PJ and Tara teach at. When I was a young man just starting out as a teacher, I coached football there. Chuck Lee called me this summer and asks if I would coach with him again. I thought about it for a long time and decided to say yes. Football was what got me to go to Collage, I could catch footballs!! I wouldn’t be here without football and going to Collage, there I studied my one true love, Music!! We won our first game and I would have to say it was fun to see the boys work hard and believe in themselves. Life is busy but good. I hope everyone is doing well and I hope to see you sometime at one of my shows.
Oh yes and I’m going to a B-day party this weekend after I sing, it’s for a good old friend of mine, David Clayton. David and I were Collage roommates and we also played football together. We have been the best of friends for a long, long time. He is turning 50, Happy Birthday. Alan

Yes,,, we are back in school. Today was the first day with my kids. It was good to see all the smiling faces, new cloths and shoes but the best part was the big smiles. I look forward to the year. We are going to have some great shows. Vote 2008 will be the first with the fourth and fifty grade classes. It will be a lot of work but I know we will be great!!! Out side my door at Eugene Field it says," I believe, that ALL students can fall in Love with MUSIC!!! That's what I believe and it is my job to make it happen. Let's have a great year and sing from the heart!!!! Alan

We just got back from our trip to Colorado. We were gone for 2 weeks and had a wonderful time. The whole family went. Tara, Chad, Cord, PJ and I. We took the RV and pulled Chad’s Jeep. Didn’t know about the RV because of the price of gas but went for it anyway. We headed south to the Great Sand Dunes. We took a jeep trail through the sand and we all climbed to the top of the dunes. It was beautiful at sun set and Cord got some great pictures. I will let you see them, just give me some time. After that we headed for the San Juan Mountains. I love the San Juan’s they are the most amazing mountains in Colorado. We stayed just out side of Silverton by a river. It was like when I was a kid, we found a spot pulled in and it was free. I love the sound of water running, it is so soothing. We jeeped for the four days we were there. We did some easy ones for PJ, Tara liked the mines and the history of the area but the one we did that we’ve wanting to do for years was BLACK BEAR into Telluride. It is one of the hardest trails in Colorado and we thought we were ready. When we got to the top we didn’t know if we should go on because the last part is something else. We were about ready to turn around when we met this guy on his motorcycle. He told us we could do it and he would talk us through the gnarly part. He did and we saw some other jeeps and I would have to say it was amazing!!! Looking down over the hood and seeing the town of Telluride like is was a street map. AMAZING!!! After all the crazy fun we went up to the cabin and stayed for 5 days. I wrote a song, worked on the cabin. We took a hike over crag crest trail and just felt the peace. We saw old friends went golfing with Dennis and stayed with PJ’s sister Beth and family, there is always a warm spot in our hearts when we see them. They are the best!! We are home now and it’s time to get ready for real life but it was a great break. Alan

In the last 2 weeks I went to 2 towns that start with W.
Wellsville and Waverly, I sang at Wellsville many times over the past years and every time I go there it is a fun place to sing. We had a good crowd, all the kids sang out loud and clear. There were many parents there too. Wellsville isn't to far from my home so it makes a nice trip though the country side. You have a nice town. Waverly is a town I use to go to a lot when I was a kid. I would play ball there in high school and knew a lot of kids my age back in the old days. It was fun to pull into town and look around. The show was the best. Your kids are the best. Singing and just being good. You should be proud. I know there is a lot of pride in Waverly and a lot of orange!!!! Thanks for asking me to be apart of your summer programs, I hope everyone has a great summer!!!!! Alan

June 14th is a very special day for me and my wife Phyllis. Well, yes it’s Flag Day but in our family it is also Birthday time. My Mom, Betty June was born on June 14th. When my daughter Tara came into the world, yes it was June 14th but 3 years latter Chad decided to be born on the same June 14th. It is a big day in our home. I should tell you that Cord my last child wasn't born on June 14th; he came into the world almost 4 years latter on May 13th, a month and a day short of everyone else. Now why I said Camp Out is because that night, June 14th I was ask to sing at Fairway's Father and Childs camp out. It was a lot of fun, we sang around the camp fire. Everyone danced and sang, we had a great time. Franzi was there, she was at the Johnson Co. Library show days earlier. She is in Pam's daycare and was the one that knew every word to my songs. It was so much fun to see her again. I think everyone had a good time. I know I did! Alan

I had a great start to the week, first I was at Louisburg Library for there summer kick off. There were a lot of kids and parents and we all had a good time. We did have to go indoors because the grass was to wet but in was a fun time. I hope to go back to Louisburg and do that outside show some time soon.
I was also in Johnson County and we did the show in an old junior high. It was a great place to sing and everyone seem to have fun. There were 200 kids and everyone was great. I think I was having as much fun and the kids. Everyone was singing, dancing and laughing. I just have to say thanks for all the fun.
Pam was there with her daycare, it has been sometime since I saw her and her kids, Every time I do it is like seeing an old friend. Pam thanks for everything you do, your kids know every word to all my good old songs. It warms the heart to see kids singing my songs. It was a good day!!! Alan

Today I had a great day. I went down to Fort Scott for the library show. We had a full house and alot of fun. Some of the greatest kids come to the show at Fort Scott. Smiles, singing and just good old great kids. The Square Metel Tub was alot of fun, 4,6,8 and 10 year olds showed us how to fit into the tub, thanks for the help. Everyone who came up and help lead the show, thanks I couldn't have done it without all your help. Hope to see you again next year. Keep singing, Keep reading and Keep being the great kids that you are!
Alan

Yes it is true. I am a teacher and just like the kids I look forward to the day we can say, " Schools out for Summer." I haven't got as many singing jobs this summer as I have in the past but plan on having a great summer. I think I will trying to get some more shows for the kids around the area. I also have this new CD that I need everone to hear. So if your like me and you get a break, Have a Great Summer. Alan

To my First and Kindergaten students, I want to say, Great Job!!!!
You put on a wonderful program and I'm so proud of you! It is so much fun making a book come to life and Caroline you are the first, first grader to have ever read the book at our program, YOU WERE GREAT!!! Everyone that came said it was a wonderful show and they all had a good time. Just remember that " Piartes Never Tuck"!!!!!!
Great Job again, Mr.C

Last night we were to have our k-1 program, How I Became a Pirate. We were all dressed and ready looking great and then a storm came, right before we started. Everyone was in the hall waiting out the storm. We called it off for the safty of everyone but Monday night the 5th we are going to try it again. The kids are ready, the songs sound great and the set looks good. hope to see you, we start at 7:00.

I wanted to let everyone know I had a great time singing in Garnett. There were cookies and punch and a lot of smiling faces. I saw some of my old students from Lyndon. They are all grown up now with kids of their own. They told me they remembered some of my songs when they were kids. One of my best friend’s kids was also there, thanks for the help after the show.
I love it when I see kids singing all the words to my songs. Many of them told me they had my first CD and I could tell by the way they were singing it must have been a favorite. Thanks again and I hope to come back soon. Alan

I'm going to be singing in Garnett Kansas, Tuesday, April 15th at 3:30 in the GEC Gym. It is National Library week and Amanda Teal is wanting to have something nice for the libaray. It is nice that she ask me to come. So bring the kids and come have a fun time. I look forward to seeing everyone.

Sunday night, April 6th at 6:30, there is going to be another Gospel Jam Session at the First Christian Church, here in Ottawa. I was ask to come sing a few songs, this will be my secound time. It is a great time with alot of good music. I will do a couple songs I've wrote and maybe a praise song or two. If you don't have anthing to do that night come and sing along.

I've been asked to come share my music with the students of Franklin Co.. I have done this about 5 times now. It is so much fun, the kids enjoy the songs and the stories. I love letting the kids know that writting can come in many forms. Mine is music.

I'm excited. March 2nd is my 50th birthday so lets put on a show. I'm playing many songs that hasn't been heard or at least in a long time. Country, Rock, Folk, Kids, Christan its all there. Friends are coming to play it should be a good time. Love to have you there. Alan