Peter Cunnah

Peter Cunnah (born 30 August 1966 in Derry, Northern Ireland) is a Northern Irish singer, best known as lead singer and songwriter with 1990s dance-pop duo, D:Ream.[1][2][3][4]

Peter Cunnah
Birth namePeter Cunnah
Born (1966-08-30) 30 August 1966
Derry, Northern Ireland
GenresPop, synthpop, dance
Occupation(s)Singer, songwriter, producer
InstrumentsVocals, keyboards, guitar
Years active1993–1997 (as member of D:Ream)
1998–present (as solo artist and writer/producer for other acts)
LabelsMagnet Records

D:Ream
Further information: D:Ream

Prior to forming D:Ream, he was lead guitarist with Belfast based band Tie the Boy who were briefly signed to the Mother Records label owned by U2. When that deal foundered soon after the band's move from Belfast to London, in-fighting amongst the members of that band led rapidly to its split.

Finding himself in the heart of London's clubland, Cunnah, already a producer, originally conceived D:Ream as a way of re-using songs from his previous band. With little by way of support in London, he teamed up with DJ Al Mackenzie on a series of dance records by a 'faceless' dance act which would be fronted live and on-record by a diva, leaving Cunnah free to concentrate on songwriting and production and Mackenzie free to concentrate on building a DJ reputation.

However, after a live date when Cunnah stepped up to sing, he found himself enjoying the experience and rapidly remodelled the D:Ream concept around his own vocals. Initially performing as a duo, they received acclaim in clubs and found management and record and publishing deals.

Solo work

Cunnah subsequently developed solo and collaborative material while working as a writer and producer behind the scenes, including singles and album tracks for the pop groups Steps and A1. He sang lead vocals on Chicane's 2003 single "Love on the Run", which reached No.33 in the United Kingdom and No.43 in Ireland. Cunnah also helped compose music for the anime InuYasha.

Cunnah returned to live performances with guitar-based band Shane, whose debut single "The Weight of This" was released in May 2006. Shane sees Cunnah going back to his roots. He has two old friends in the band – Paul Greendale on guitar and Mark Roberts on drums. Cunnah knew Roberts from their time in the rock band Tie The Boy. Cunnah has also produced the YouTube star Ben Kelly, a contestant on The Voice UK.

References
  1. Bono fans fill Obama coffers: The presidential hopeful has found just what he's looking for in U2 devotees as they swell his campaign reserves Colin Coyle, The Sunday Times, 30 August 2008.
  2. "D:Ream start for Sunday's Hospice Male Walk" Derry Journal, 26 September 2008.
  3. "Peter makes a cautious return to the limelight." The News Letter (Belfast, Northern Ireland), 16 May 2006.
  4. Starrett, " From Derry: Cunnah talks of his new D:Reams"; The News Letter (Belfast, Northern Ireland), 14 July 2000.
  • www.d-ream.net: D:Ream's Official website
  • EveryHit.com: UK Top 40 Database
  • Paul Gambaccini, Tim Rice, Jonathan Rice (1995), UK Hit Singles, Guinness Publishing
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