Obit: Maria Cunningham 2012 (UK)

Subject: Obit: Maria Cunningham 2012
From: SussexCarole
Date: 01 Mar 12 - 01:21 PM

We are devastated to hear that Maria, a wonderful friend and fine songwriter from Sussex, lost her fight against cancer last night. She leaves behind so many great songs and memories. Our thoughts are with her husband Len and daughter Jenny.

Carole & Andrew

Subject: RE: Obit: Maria Cunningham 2012
From: Vic Smith
Date: 01 Mar 12 - 01:34 PM

A lovely singer and a lovely person. She contributed a great deal to the Sussex folk scene.

Subject: RE: Obit: Maria Cunningham 2012
From: My guru always said
Date: 01 Mar 12 - 01:43 PM

Very sorry to hear this news, candle lit!

Subject: RE: Obit: Maria Cunningham 2012
From: rumanci
Date: 01 Mar 12 - 02:06 PM

I'm stunned. I am so sorry to hear this news. My thoughts are with Maria, her family and some wonderful friends. A huge loss.
rum

Subject: RE: Obit: Maria Cunningham 2012
From: TheSnail
Date: 01 Mar 12 - 02:11 PM

Will be sadly missed. I was told that she spent the last two days in St Peter & St James Hospice and felt no pain. She was positive and peaceful to the end.

Commiserations to Len and Jenny.

Bryan

Subject: RE: Obit: Maria Cunningham 2012
From: Kit Griffiths
Date: 01 Mar 12 - 02:39 PM

I am so sorry. Maria had 'phoned me up out of the blue a few weeks ago (after Sussex Carole had passed on my address). We chatted for a long time -there was a lot to catch up on after 30 years -and she sent me copies of her 2 CDs. I had meant to write back earlier, but put it off until yesterday. As she will not read it, I hope no-one minds if I post a copy here, as a tribute and with my love.




Leapday 2012



First, my apologies that this is typerotten –my handwriting is so bad these days that even I can't read it sometimes.

It really was great to talk to you the other week; spoilt only by the news of your illness. However, I have the utmost confidence that you will beat the bugger, and as I'm sure that you must be fed up hearing platitudes, however well-meant, I will offer no more, except to say that you are in my prayers. (Before you wince, my prayers are strictly non-formal, and consist of a running conversation between me and my aspect of God. I say conversation, but it's really a monologue: if you talk to God you're religious: if s/he talks to you, you're psychotic!)

Thanks also for the CDs –I loved them both in different ways. The first was a well-rounded overall showcase, but the second was absolutely dominated by the quality of your songwriting. I think that the songs are amongst the finest "modern traditional" I have ever come across, and, I am sure, will become part of the oral tradition. They are REAL folk music –but then, you have always been a real folksinger, right from the start.

It's very hard to catch up on what must be over 30 years worth of news in a 'phone-call and a letter, so I won't even attempt it. On the other hand, most of it has been pretty uneventful –I was tax manager with Auker Hutton in Sevenoaks for 25 years or so, Jill and I have been married for coming up to 31 years, my sons from my first marriage (whom I still call "the boys"!) are 39 this year, my grand-daughter will be 18 this August, and we've lived in this house for just under 25 years. Retirement is wonderful, and because of my heart attack my pension is merely small instead of derisory. (State pension doesn't kick in for another 2 and a bit years –assuming that they haven't abolished it by then.)

It has become a cliché that nostalgia isn't what it used to be, and that furthermore it never was, but I do often think back to the Man of Kent days. As is the way with these things, all negative aspects are forgotten, and the good times are distilled into an archetype: a summer evening, good music, good beer, and after closing time a few of us adjourning to your place, and carrying on singing while your parents listened. Of such is the kingdom of heaven.

Life, love & peace, as we used to say in the sixties. (Well, I did, anyway).

Subject: RE: Obit: Maria Cunningham 2012
From: nutty
Date: 02 Mar 12 - 04:12 AM

So very sorry to hear this news.

Maria was a very talented singer/songwriter and I have always had great pleasure from listening to her 1st CD which I bought from her at Four Fools FF. Reddich, many years ago. Sadly our paths have rarely crossed since then.

My thoughts are with her friends and family

Hazel Bolton

Subject: RE: Obit: Maria Cunningham 2012
From: The Sandman
Date: 02 Mar 12 - 07:30 AM

sad news.

Subject: RE: Obit: Maria Cunningham 2012
From: Girl Friday
Date: 02 Mar 12 - 11:32 AM

Very sad to hear this news. Maria played at my club some years ago, and I was moved to buy a recording.

Subject: RE: Obit: Maria Cunningham 2012
From: gnu
Date: 02 Mar 12 - 11:38 AM

My condolences.

Subject: RE: Obit: Maria Cunningham 2012
From: open mike
Date: 02 Mar 12 - 12:46 PM

Does anyone have any of her music you can post? It would be great to hear or see her to know what her music was like. Sorry she is gone, but glad there are c.d.'s so we can still hear her.

Subject: RE: Obit: Maria Cunningham 2012
From: MoorleyMan
Date: 02 Mar 12 - 01:12 PM

So sorry to hear this news.
Maria was such a talented songwriter, and I too was introduced to her work by Sussex Carole, tho' sadly I never actually got to meet Maria myself.
My deepest sympathies.

Subject: RE: Obit: Maria Cunningham 2012
From: Mrs Scarecrow
Date: 02 Mar 12 - 03:03 PM

I too was introduced to her songs by Carole and can only say that such talent will be sadly missed

Subject: RE: Obit: Maria Cunningham 2012
From: Dave Earl
Date: 02 Mar 12 - 04:24 PM

Very sad to hear this.

I had been told of her illness a short while ago and had been meaning to make contact but, as is the way of things, hadn't got round to it.

Really enjoyed Maria's songs and singing over the years of my aquaitance with her.

Might even learn one or two of her songs to keep my memory of her alive.

Keep singing for us Maria now that you are with all those others that had to leave us.

Found some "Sloe Gin" to raise a glass to the candle with.

R.I.P.

Dave

Subject: RE: Obit: Maria Cunningham 2012
From: vectis
Date: 03 Mar 12 - 04:33 PM

Maria has frequently been in my thoughts since I heard that she was so ill. I hoped that she would be able to slip gently into the next great adventure and I am very pleased that she wasn't in pain or fear at the end. Like many I will continue to sing some of her songs and count myself lucky to have known her.

Subject: RE: Obit: Maria Cunningham 2012
From: GUEST
Date: 05 Mar 12 - 09:47 AM

Refresh for anyone who hasn't yet heard the news.

Subject: RE: Obit: Maria Cunningham 2012
From: GUEST,Pete Laity
Date: 12 Mar 12 - 02:37 PM

I was deeply saddened to hear of Maria's passing. We had first met some 35 years ago, on the folk circuit around Sevenoaks, in Kent. I still have many happy memories of those club nights - and the impromptu sessions at her parent's house afterwards!

Our paths crossed all too infrequently, through the subsequent years: just the occasional letters, Christmas cards and a couple of recording sessions. Nevertheless, I will miss Maria as a friend and regret that we will not meet again.

Subject: RE: Obit: Maria Cunningham 2012
From: GUEST,Mark Stevens
Date: 01 Dec 13 - 12:14 PM

Blimey, I didn't know this !!
She was a good singer, I remember her from Tenterden Festi, and JITG .. :-(

Subject: RE: Obit: Maria Cunningham 2012
From: The Sandman
Date: 01 Dec 13 - 03:25 PM

r. i. p.thanks fr refrshing this thread