Early on in his career, Austin Cunningham carved out a place for himself on Music Row as a songwriter. He left his hometown of Garland, Texas and made the move to Nashville to pursue a career in music. His songs have been covered by artists such as Hank Williams, Jr., Del McCoury, Chris Knight, Martina McBride, Lee Greenwood, and the list goes on. Several years back, Austin was awarded the Johnny Mercer Award for Emerging American Songwriters. Although writing is his first passion, he is no slouch at performing, blazing a trail with live shows across the U.S. and is a favorite on the Texas music scene, where his single, “Guns and Religion” was a top 20 hit last year. With a strong voice and some of the best guitar playing you’ll ever hear, he always manages to captivate his audience. It’s interesting to watch people respond to Austin’s songs, whether it’s one that paints a picture of salty characters like “Buck Clayborn” or a heart wrenching “Long Way To Go”, about the struggle to understand the suicide of a good friend, or the hatred in the sky on 9-11. His songs aren’t the only thing that resonates. It’s his down-to-earth-I-know-you-from-somewhere personality that sweeps over the crowd. He interacts with his audience like he’s known them since childhood. “Austin is the type of guy who wants to know your name and has the uncanny ability to remember it. His outgoing personality makes one understand the enticing nature of his songs. I found myself tearing up over lost love and tasting hot chili pepper while boot scooting in my mind.”……. Janet Brice Parker, Author, The Ivy Stays Green. If you’re a writer looking for inspiration, a music buff, or just someone wanting to be entertained for a while, don’t miss the chance to hear and meet this shining star from Texas. Austin performs at The Ashland Theatre, on Saturday, February 27th, at 7:00 pm. Tickets are $10 Advance/$12 Door. For tickets and more information on Austin, visit www.austincunningham.com or call 256/565-2458. -Meredith Frye www.fryeswiththat.com