Draft:Danny Cummings

• Comment: I do not find any evidence Cummings meets musical notability. Star Mississippi 00:47, 22 December 2025 (UTC)

• Comment: I'm sorry that you just don't seem to get the notability requirements. Your sources are predominately listings which merely confirm what he did, articles need to be based on significant coverage not mere mentions, we need sources that discuss him. Theroadislong (talk) 19:17, 21 December 2025 (UTC)

• Comment: Simply playing on hundreds of different artists records and performing live with them doesn't in itself make him notable he needs to pass WP:NMUSICIAN for which we need significant coverage NOT listings on Allmusic or Discogs. Theroadislong (talk) 16:43, 21 December 2025 (UTC)

• Comment: Brucebase Wiki, Discogs, Soundcloud and other assorted listings are NOT the independent, reliable sources that we require to establish notability. We need in-depth significant coverage about him. The discography section is also still stuffed with external links to other listings, none of this is helpful I'm afraid. Theroadislong (talk) 08:35, 21 December 2025 (UTC)

• Comment: Please remove the 200 or so external links, we don't use external links in the body of an article. See WP:ELBODY Theroadislong (talk) 23:36, 18 December 2025 (UTC)

• Comment: inappropriate tone includes “toured with many top musical acts of his day” “Cummings met many famous performers but remembers being most influenced by” “he keeps these bongos on his bedside table today” “appeared centre stage to belt the Dire Straits standards” The draft is also littered with external links which we don’t use in the body of an article. Theroadislong (talk) 20:10, 14 December 2025 (UTC)

• Comment: this more resembles a magazine article tone is not appropriate. Theroadislong (talk) 08:10, 14 December 2025 (UTC)

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Danny Cummings
Cummings performing on stage
Background information
Born	Daniel John Cummings (1957-10-01) 1 October 1957 Sheffield, England
Genres	Rock · Pop · Blues rock · World music
Occupation	Musician · Vocalist · Composer · Producer
Instrument	Percussion · Drums · Conga
Years active	1972-present
Member of	DSL*Dire Straits Legacy
Formerly of	Wham!, Dire Straits, George Michael, Mark Knopfler
Website	https://dannycummings.com

Daniel John Cummings (born 1 October 1957) is a British percussionist, drummer, vocalist, composer, and producer. He is a session player and touring musician for Dire Straits, Mark Knopfler, George Michael, Wham!, John Martyn, Penguin Café Orchestra, David Sylvian and Tina Turner.

Early life

Cummings was born on 1 October 1957 in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, and raised in the Pitsmoor district. His father, Liam William (Bill) Cummings, was a professional singer whose appearances included the D’Oyly Carte Opera Company which specialized in the operas of Gilbert and Sullivan.

Cummings began playing snare drum in his school band, then at age 11 was introduced to percussion by his grandparents who gave him a pair of mini bongos as a souvenir from a trip to Trinidad. Cummings persuaded his parents to buy him a second-hand conga for his 21st birthday.

In addition to traditional drums, conga, shakers, and other percussive instruments, Cummings plays a collection of original African instruments and experiments with electronic sounds.

Early Career and John Martyn

Cummings was briefly part of the British soul-funk band Central Line and appeared on their 1982 album, Breaking Point, playing conga, bongos and percussion. Cummings also played percussion for British pop bands Level 42, ABC, and Linx. Cummings is credited with percussion on two tracks on the Dutch funk/soul band Spargo album, Step By Step (1984), on which he is mis-identified as "Danny Gummins."

In the early eighties, Cummings began a long association with British singer/songwriter/guitarist John Martyn. He was brought on as percussionist by a fellow Sheffield musician, Tommy Eyre, then Martyn’s keyboardist, first appearing on Martyn’s celebrated 1980 album, Grace and Danger. Cummings went on to play percussion (and sometimes backing vocals) on several other Martyn albums (Glorious Fool, 1981; Well Kept Secret, 1982; Philentropy, 1983; Piece By Piece, 1986; the live recording, Foundations, 1987; and The Apprentice, 1990) and supporting tours as well as on various early taped appearances by Martyn.

At his 27 July 1985 show at the Cambridge Folk Festival (released as a live album in 2003), Martyn introduced Cummings: “Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to present to you on percussion, Mr. Daniel Cummings. He bangs things all the time, there’s no stopping him.”

On Martyn’s video, "Live from London," a recording of Martyn’s November 1984 gig at London’s Camden Palace Theatre, Cummings is mis-credited as “Danny Thompson” (released on VHS 1986). Cummings is also seen playing percussion on Martyn’s video recording, “ Foundations: Live at the Town and Country Club,” from his November 1986 gig at that London club (released on VHS 1988).

Wham! and George Michael

In his mid-twenties, Cummings joined the pop duo Wham! as its percussionist and appeared onstage on the group’s debut concert tour in the UK, the “Club Fantastic Tour,” in 1983. Cummings is credited as the percussionist on their second album, Make It Big, released in 1984, which included the hits “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go” and “Careless Whisper.” He was the percussionist and drummer on their third, and final, studio album, Music from the Edge of Heaven, released in 1986, featuring the singles “Last Christmas” and “I’m Your Man.” As the first Western pop act to play in China, Cummings was the percussionist throughout Wham!’s historic 10-day tour in 1985. Cummings can be seen in the limited-release documentary of that tour, "Wham! In China: Foreign Skies" (1986), shown at the Wham! farewell concert at Wembley Stadium, London, 28 June 1986.

After the breakup of Wham! in 1986, Cummings continued to work for George Michael as percussionist both in the studio and on stage. He first appeared on Michael’s second solo album, Listen Without Prejudice, Vol. 1 (1990), on which he is credited with both percussion and drums. His distinctive conga groove is featured on the hit single, “Freedom! ‘90.” Thereafter he was percussionist on Michael’s fourth solo album, Songs from the Last Century (1999), and the live album, Symphonica (2014) resulting from the “Symphonica Tour” of 2011-12.

In a 2024 interview with Polish media in 2024, Cummings reflected on his long history with Wham! and with George Michael: “When I started working with him, I was very young, and when it ended, I was very old! The more I got to know him, the more I liked him, and there was a mutual trust built over 30 years. It was a very good relationship.”

Cummings’s live work with George Michael can be seen on a number of video releases, including:

"Concert of Hope/World AIDS Day," Wembley Arena, 1 December 1993.:

"MTV Unplugged: George Michael," Season 7 Episode 8, 1996.

"George Michael Live In London 2008" concert DVD (released in 2009), a live concert recording of George Michael's final two concerts in London's Earls Court on 24 and 25 August 2008 as part of his 25 Live tour.

"George Michael, 2012 London Olympics Closing Ceremony."

In a 2024 interview Danny Cummings lamented that the last time he saw George Michael before the pop singer’s 2016 death was right after the Olympics Closing Ceremony performance, when Cummings visited Michael at his home to thank him for the invitation to perform with him at that event.

Danny Cummings also played percussion and sang background vocals on the only studio album from the other half of Wham!, Andrew Ridgeley, Son of Albert (released in Australia 1990; remastered and released in the UK 2018). He is also credited as the composer on the song, "Mexico," on that album.

Dire Straits and Mark Knopfler

By the 1990s, Cummings was a highly sought-after session man. He played drums on Dire Straits’s final studio album, On Every Street (released in 1991), and toured with the band as its percussionist to promote that album. “I had gained a good reputation and I had a lot of work [at the time],” Cummings recalled decades later. “During the recording of ‘On Every Street,’ Mark Knopfler and I talked a lot, exchanged ideas. He had good feelings about me and he asked me to tour with them. I didn’t realize how it would change my life.” The live album resulting from that tour, On The Night (released in 1993), credits Cummings with percussion and backing vocals.

Cummings continued his association with Dire Straits founder and lead guitarist Mark Knopfler after Knopfler disbanded Dire Straits in favor of a solo career. He is credited with percussion and background vocals on Knopfler’s first solo album Golden Heart (released 1996); percussion on Sailing To Philadelphia (2000); percussion and drums on Kill To Get Crimson (2007); drums on Get Lucky (2009; Cummings’s two sons, Dominic and William, and his then-wife, Shelley, contributed vocals on the song, “Remembrance Day”); percussion on One Deep River (2024); and percussion on Knopfler’s 2024 release, "Mark Knopfler’s Guitar Heroes: Going Home," a collaboration featuring over 50 other musicians whose proceeds benefit teenage cancer charities. Cummings is credited with the idea for One Deep River’s opening track, “Two Pairs of Hands," inspired by a story Cummings shared about a memorable malapropism.

Cummings played drums on the Mark Knopfler/Emmylou Harris 2006 album and tour, All the Roadrunning. Cummings toured with Knopfler either as drummer or percussionist, often contributing backing vocals, on most tours in support of Knopfler’s solo projects to date. Cummings is credited as percussionist on Knopfler’s eighth movie soundtrack, the 2001 film "A Shot at Glory," released in 2002.

DSL Dire Straits Legacy, BluesClub, and other projects

Since 2013, Danny Cummings has been an active member of DSL*Dire Straits Legacy, a touring band comprising several former members of Dire Straits along with other accomplished musicians. Cummings contributes percussion and backing vocals. An offshoot of DSL*Dire Straits Legacy with virtually the same lineup -- simply called "Legacy" -- released an album of largely original blues songs, 3 Chord Trick (2017), on which Cummings played percussion.

Along with longtime Dire Straits/Mark Knopfler keyboardist, engineer, and producer Guy Fletcher, Cummings is the drummer for the UK-based BluesClub band that perform intermittently in British clubs. BluesClub has released one album, Rollin' & Tumblin' - (Volume 1), steeped in the Delta blues genre, and recorded in February 2011 at British Grove, London, Mark Knopfler’s studio.

Cummings has contributed drums, percussion, and/or backing vocals to four solo albums by Guy Fletcher: Inamorata (released 2008); Natural Selection (2010); High Roads (2016); and Anomaly (2022).

A collaboration with UK percussionist Miles Bould who was, like Cummings, associated with several 1980s bands, led to recording a collection of drum and percussion samples, Rhythm Of Life (1992), which has been used by artists including Pat Metheny, George Michael, Brownstone, Joan Armatrading, and many more. Those rhythmic samples have been used in shows like “NYPD Blue” as well as in movie soundtracks.

Cummings has uploaded two demos to the SoundCloud streaming service, "Prisoner" (with UK recording engineer/producer Joe Dworniak, released 1988) and "I'm the Original" (with Guy Fletcher, 1995).

An accomplished vocalist as well as percussionist and drummer, Cummings appeared centre stage and sang lead vocals on the Dire Straits standards "Brothers in Arms" and "Money For Nothing" at the July 27, 2019 performance of "Trevor Horn Reimagines the Eighties" at the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Scotland. In 2023 Cummings once again teamed with producer/bassist Trevor Horn on Horn’s release, Echoes: Ancient & Modern, a covers album of Horn’s re-arrangements of various hits that are performed by other artists. Cummings contributed percussion on Iggy Pop’s cover of Depeche Mode’s 1989 hit, “Personal Jesus.”

Cummings contributes percussion to the musical collaboration called "Rhythms del Mundo - Cuba," a collaboration of Cuban musicians including Buena Vista Social Club who interpret songs of mainstream artists such as U2, Coldplay, Sting, and others. Proceeds from the sales of albums benefit climate change projects and disaster relief efforts. Cummings is credited on three Rhythms del Mundo - Cuba albums, their eponymous 2006 release, "Classics" (2009), and "Revival" (2010).

Danny Cummings continues to write and record original music and publishes/licenses through BMG, PRS for Music, Universal Music Publishing, Riverfish Publishing, among others.

Musical Philosophy/Approach

Though in the same family, Cummings views percussive instruments as an “extension” of the drum kit, something that the drummer doesn’t use himself but that are added “to help him. One of the definitions of a percussionist is that he helps the drummer relax.” Cummings says he didn’t start out intending to play percussion in rock music; instead, he was invited to play by musicians of many genres, as can be seen from his extensive and eclectic discography.

As for the role of percussion on a track, Cummings says those instruments should “integrate with the music as best as possible, adding variety…different tones, sounds, frequencies. They can express both joy and sadness, just like any other instrument.”

“A good drummer or percussionist adapts to the artist [he’s playing with], not the other way around,” Cummings told an interviewer in 2024. “You have to be elegant, careful, and show respect all the time. Sometimes there is room for percussive instruments; sometimes not. It’s pure instinct. But when my time comes, I’m deadly serious. I do my best. That’s my philosophy: adapt to the artist.”

Select Discography

With Bryan Adams

MTV Unplugged (Live) (A&M Records, 1997) percussion, harmony vocals

On a Day Like Today (A&M Records, 1998) percussion

The Best of Me (A&M, 1999) percussion

Anthology (Polydor, 2005) percussion, harmony vocals

With Sam Brown

Stop! (A&M Records, 1988) percussion

April Moon (A&M Records, 1990) percussion

With Chris de Burgh

The Road To Freedom (Ferryman Productions, 2004) drums, percussion

A Better World (Rockware, 2016) drums, percussion

With Dire Straits

On Every Street (Vertigo/Warner Bros., Records, 1991) percussion

On the Night (Vertigo/Warner Bros., 1993) percussion, background vocals

Sultans of Swing: The Very Best of Dire Straits (Vertigo, 1998) musician, percussion, background vocals

Live 1978-1992 (Mercury, 2023) percussion, background vocals

With David Gilmour

Rattle That Lock (Columbia/Sony Music, 2015) percussion

With Depeche Mode

Ultra (Mute, 1997) percussion, drums

MODE (Sony, 2020) percussion

Remixes 81-04 (Reprise/EMI, 2004) percussion

Remixes 2: 81-11 (Reprise, 2011) percussion

With Gavin Friday

Shag Tobacco (Island, 1995) percussion

With Emmylou Harris

All the Roadrunning (Nonesuch/Warner Bros./ADA, 2006) drums

Real Live Roadrunning (Nonesuch/Warner Bros, 2006) drums

Songbird: Rare Tracks & Forgotten Gems (Rhino, 2007) drums

With Richie Havens

Common Ground (EMI Italiana, 1983) percussion

With Murray Head

Shade (Mercury Records, 1982) percussion

Restless (Virgin Records, 1984) percussion

Sooner or Later (Virgin Records, 1987) drums

With John Illsley

Beautiful You (Absolute/Creek Touring & Records, 2008) percussion

Streets of Heaven (Creek Records, 2010) percussion

With Jarabe de Palo

La Flaca (EMI/Parlophone/Warner Music, 1997) percussion

Depende (Parlophone/Virgin, 1998) percussion

De Vuelta y Vuelta (EMI Music, 2001) percussion

Grandes Exitos (Parlophone/Warner Music, 2003) percussion

Bonito (DRO, 2003) orchestra

Un Metro Cuadrado 1m2 (WEA Latina/WEA International, 2005) percussion

Completo Incompleto (Parlophone/Virgin/Warner Music, 2005) percussion

Lucha Rock (Parlophone/Warner Music, 2007) percussion

Rock Latino – Vívelo: Jarabe de Palo (Parlophone/Warner Music, 2013) percussion

With Elton John

Duets (MCA, 1993) percussion

With Mark Knopfler

Golden Heart (Vertigo, 1996) percussion, background vocals

Sailing to Philadelphia (Warner Bros., 2000) percussion

A Shot at Glory (Soundtrack) (Mercury Records, 2002) percussion

Kill to Get Crimson (Warner Bros., 2007) drums, percussion

Get Lucky (Warner Bros., 2009) drums

Down the Road Wherever (Blue Note/Virgin EMI, 2018) percussion

Music from the Motion Picture Twister: The Dark Side of Nature (Warner Bros., 1996) background vocals

The Studio Albums 1996-2007 (Universal, 2021) drums, percussion, background vocals

The Studio Albums 2009-2018 (Universal, 2022) drums, percussion, background vocals

Cinematic Knopfler (Universal, 2022) percussion

True Love (Universal, 2023) drums, percussion, tambourine

One Deep River (EMI, 2024) percussion

The Boy (EP) (British Grove Records/EMI, 2024) percussion

Unplugged (EP) (Universal, 2024) percussion

People… (EP) (Universal, 2024) percussion

…And Places (EP) (Universal, 2024) percussion, drums, background vocals

Mark Knopfler’s Guitar Heroes: Going Home (Theme from Local Hero) (BMG, 2024) musician, percussion

With Lighthouse Family

Ocean Drive (A&M/Polydor, 1995) percussion

Postcards From Heaven (Polydor, 1997) percussion

Whatever Gets You Through The Day (Wildcard/Polydor, 2001) percussion

With Londonbeat

In the Blood (Anxious Records/Radioactive, 1990) percussion

Londonbeat (RCA/Anxious Records, 1994) percussion

With John Martyn

Glorious Fool (WEA, 1981) percussion

Well Kept Secret (Warner Bros., 1982) percussion

Philenthropy (Body Swerve Label, 1983) percussion

Piece By Piece (Island Records, 1986) percussion

Empty Ceiling (One World, 1986) percussion

Foundations (Island Records, 1987) percussion

Mad Dog Days (Shakedown Records, 2004) percussion, background vocals

Live at the Cambridge Folk Festival (Strange Fruit, 2004) percussion

Remembering John Martyn (Secret Records Limited, 2012) percussion, background vocals

With George Michael

Listen Without Prejudice, Vol. 1 (Columbia Records, 1990) percussion

Ladies & Gentlemen: The Best of George Michael (Sony, 1998) percussion

Songs from the Last Century (Aegean/Virgin Records, 1999) percussion

Live in London (Sony Music/Aegean, 2009) percussion

Symphonica (Aegean/Virgin EMI, 2014) percussion

Careless Whisper (EP) (Sony Music, 2024) percussion

Now That’s What I Call Pride (George Michael) (Now Music, 2022) percussion

With Liza Minnelli

Results (Epic, 1989) percussion

Visible Results - Bonus Tracks (MSI/Sony, 2005) percussion

With Jimmy Nail

Crocodile Shoes (East West Records, 1994) tambourine, percussion

The Nail File: The Best of Jimmy Nail (East West, 1997) tambourine, percussion

With Penguin Café Orchestra

Signs of Life (Editions EG, 1987) shekere, percussion

Preludes, Airs & Yodels (EMI, 1997) percussion

A Brief History (Virgin, 2002) musician

With David Sylvian

Secrets of the Beehive (Virgin, 1987) percussion

Weatherbox (Virgin, 1989) percussion

Orpheus (Virgin, 1988) percussion

"God's Monkey: Retrospective" (Virgin, 1993) composer

Camphor (EMI, 2002) percussion

With The The

Mind Bomb (Epic, 1989) percussion

London Town 1983-1993 (Sony, 2002) congas, percussion

Ensoulment (Cinéloa, 2024) percussion, handclaps

With Tina Turner

Foreign Affair (Capitol Records, 1989) congas, shaker, percussion

Simply The Best (Capitol, 1991) shaker

What's Love Got To Do With It (Parlophone, 2010) congas, percussion, rattle, shaker

With Kiko Veneno

Esta Muy Bien Eso Del Carino (Ariola/RCA, 1995) percussion, djembre

Punta Paloma (BMG Music Spain S.A., 1997) percussion

La familia pollo (BMG Music Spain, S.A., 2005) batería

With Wham!

Make It Big (Epic/Columbia, 1984) percussion

Music From the Edge of Heaven (Columbia, 1986) drums, percussion

With Paul Young

Between Two Fires (CBS Records, 1986) percussion

Other Voices (Columbia, 1990) percussion

From Time to Time: The Singles Collection (Columbia, 1991) percussion

Other Appearances

(I don't know how to make these into two columns!)

· A1

· Isabelle Antena

· Clannad

· Randy Crawford

· Aretha Franklin

· Gota

· Johnny Hallyday

· Nazareth

· Pet Shop Boys

· Pink Floyd

· Pulp

· Radio Futura

· Simply Red

· Steel Pulse

· Talk Talk

· Bill Wyman

References

Category:Musicians Category:1957 births Category:English drummers Category:English session musicians Category:Musicians from Sheffield Category:Percussionists