On Sept. 1, local singer Donna Cunningham was awarded the 2011 Rising Legend Award by the National Traditional Country Music Association, which was held in LeMars, Iowa, during their 36th annual Annual Music Festival.

The award was given to honor her work and success thus far in the country music field. It was her first invitation to the festival, which hosted about 20,000 fans this year. There were performers from around the world and the U.S.

Cunningham was nominated for the award by Bill Rainey of NBRN.FM radio, Nashville, Tenn., who has been airing her music since 2009. Her first released single, “Think Again,” written by local songwriter Stan Lane of Portsmouth, was released in March and went to No. 3 on the International Joyce Ramgate Chart. Subsequent releases are doing well also, including her current release, “Out Of The Blue,” which is No. 7 on the Top 40 Indie Chart. Donna’s single “Tell Me Truly,” is currently No. 19 on the Independent Superstars of Country Music Chart, Worldwide. Her music is being played in 12 countries.

Cunningham recently completed the first few tracks of her next CD at Burns Station Sound near Nashville. Burns Station has recorded such artists as Loretta Lynn, Barbara Mandrell, Willie Nelson and Johnny Cash. She recorded there with “The A Team” of country music, Gene Chrisman, Pete Wade, Lloyd Green, Harlan “Pig” Robbins and Buddy Spicher, and she was invited to sign the wall at Burns Station.

“That was a thrill,” Cunningham said.

She will be heading back to Nashville in October to record a duet with Indie Artist Male Vocalist of the Year Alan Karl and to attend the Reunion of Professional Entertainers Concert and Banquet, and plans are in the works for a European tour in early 2012.

Her website is donnacmusic.com and her email address is donnajeansc5@aol.com.

FRANK LEWIS may be reached at (740) 353-3101, ext. 232, or flewis@heartlandpublications.com.