Paul Cummins and the Lion Dogs

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Paul Cummins began his musical journey playing the tenor sax in school band in 1963 at age 9. By 13, he was the 1st Chair tenor sax in the All-Valley Honor Band; and 1st Chair baritone horn in the District Orchestra (learning baritone as a favor to his mentor, Music Director Dwight Weber in less than 1 yr). Mr. Weber rewarded him by giving him his school's sax. It was with that sax, that Paul joined his first Rock & Roll band later that year.

The West Coast Blues Company was far from your typical teenage garage band. Assembled and managed by Dale Smallin- the manager and producer of The Surfaris who laughed "that laugh" at the start of Wipeout!"-, they appeared in a motion picture "The Day that Sang and Cried" in 1968, recorded at Capitol Records' Studio B and Whitney Recorders, and performed twice a week all over L.A. But after 3 years, they became another casualty of the times-disbanding in 1970.

Paul kept up his sax through high school; and in 1972 attended Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut, California to study jazz with Ashley Alexander (ex-trombonist for Count Basie). In 1974, he transferred to the University of California at Irvine, where he began studying guitar seriously; but left before graduation to hit the road as the guitarist in a pro quintet called "Rapid Transit", who were doing the Hilton Hotel circuit. The details regarding the end of that gig are not, shall we say, the stuff of family entertainment; but we will say that it involved a "tryst" between the drummer and a Hilton employee discovered in the kitchen one afternoon while the rest of the band was in the lounge rehearsing.

From then until now, Paul has been active in L.A.'s Blues & Rock scenes; sharing stages and studios with some of the area's most talented musicians. In 1997, at the behest of some friends, he entered the Fender Blues Guitar Competition- and ended up finishing as one of the four Finalists invited to attend the 1st Annual Fender Blues Festival on Catalina Island. Paul has appeared a number of times on local TV, and was asked to tour with Chuck Berry as the guitarist of his backing band.

In 1999, he formed Paul Cummins and the Lion Dogs, with two long time friends- Doug Dalley and Bob Buchler- both 20 plus year journeymen with credits too long to include here. Paul then began promoting the band on the web to compliment their live shows. On mp3.com, his song "The Hookman" topped the Global Blues charts for 9 months- staying in the Top 10 of the Blues/Rock chart in L.A. for almost 2 years!

Paul has also been involved in the MP3 Blues AllStars project since its inception in 2000. A continuing collaborative effort, it's comprised of as many as 20 international musicians. Begun online, it culminated in the recording studios of Nashville Tennessee in 2002; and resulted in the release of a CD and a DVD. They will continue to create regardless, we are assured; and are negotiating a recording contract with a Los Angeles based record label as of Jan. 2005... That project can be seen, and downloaded here at CNET's Download.com. Just look for Blues Allstars

Paul Cummins and the Lion Dogs have enjoyed being featured artists on virtually every Online Music Distribution website that they've put their music on. Featured six times on mp3.com, twice at Riffage.com, 3 times on BeSonic.com, once on Playhear.com, once on JavaMusic.com, as well as on TuneBandit.com, Museeks.com, and most recently right here on CNET's new Download.com. As a result, they've seen their fan base grow by leaps and bounds- receiving offers for recording and performing from industry executives and promoters from all over the world. They've received rave reviews from many of the top internet music review web sites as well. Listen.com, mp3reviews.com, The Rob Report, The Gods of Music, and the ezine lamusicscene.com have each written the band up; and each have agreed: These guys can play!

Their music is currently on a number of FM radio stations in the U.S., in 6 countries in Europe, in South America; and some of the most listened to webcasts on Live 365 such as Blue Icewater Radio, and on indieradiolive.com You can see them live at some of the better venues in L.A. Next for Paul and the boys is the long anticipated release of the follow up to their debut CD "Bluteus Maximus" tentatively entitled "Roarin' Back!"; due for release during the fall of 2005.

Most recently, Paul has hooked up with The Midnight Blues Band in Southern California; having performed at 6th and 7th Irvine Lake Blues Festivals. They are also active at L.A.'s best Blues Clubs- B.B. King's, Martini Blues, The Blue Cafe, Silky Sullivan's to name a few. The band opened for B.B. King at his club in November of 2005, and they've been approached to play the 2 week "Blues Cruise" next Spring in the Carribean with some of the biggest names in the Blues; as well as a possible tour of Italy.

Even with all of that on the plate, Paul still plans to record some down and dirty straight Blues with the Lion Dogs, Midnight Blues Band is preparing for the studio, MP3 Blues AllStars are meeting in L.A. to record, and he'll also be co-writing some songs with songstress Patti Sterling.

Lastly, for those of you who read this whole thing, if you let yourself be known, Paul will send you a 6 minute slow Blues song that won't be released on a CD until the end of the year free for the asking. (and lemme tell ya, could be the tastiest picking down yet)