Last Dance is the first release from Michael Cunningham’s second studio album “Patiently Impatient”.

Penned with his long-term writing partner, Jim Anderson, who said of the song. “This will resonate with anyone who has ever had a close bond with someone. Whether it’s a wife, husband or family member, you spend so much time walking, talking and sharing dreams together. You really can’t imagine life without them. But secretly you know one day you could lose them. So, you do your best to make the most of each day together, almost as if it were your last. A last dance.”

The album was recorded during the pandemic in Antrim’s Einstein Studios. The brilliant Frankie McClay engineered and co-produced the songs. (Although he said he was really just there to make the tea!!)

The process was a real challenge, with constant interruptions due to lockdown. For that reason, the recording took longer than expected. On a positive note, players such as John McCullough, who would have been on tour with Sinead O’Connor, and Colm McLean, who would have been touring with Foy Vance were available to play on the album.

The Pandemic forced many musicians to “think outside the box”. It was a great time to experiment with different players and styles.

With a click of a button, you could work with musicians from all over the world. The technology made collaboration easy.

A Polish percussionist played on a couple of tracks and a cello player from Israel wrote and played a beautiful part on a track called “The Wedge”  

Once again Michael has teamed up again with Phil Smyth on bass, and Claire Galway on vocals. It also gave him the chance to work with an old School friend and musician Patrick Quigley. “Patrick and I were in bands from our early teens, and it was great to work with him again after so many years. We are both fathers now, and much water has gone under the bridge, but the two voices still work really well together.”

Last Dance will be released on the 5th of November, and Patiently Impatient will be released early next year. For more information visit www.michaelcunningham.co.uk