Corn Mo (born Jon Cunningham) is the late-20th century's semi-ironic, postmodern answer to Tiny Tim, belting out impassioned songs that tread the line between vaudeville and cock rock, while accompanying himself on accordion and floor cymbal.
Originally hailing from Denton, TX, Corn Mo first found a musical home accompanying the Flying Couch Potatoes, a juggling troupe, in 1991. Soon, he was collaborating with the mysterious Mauve Oed, with whom he self-released a cassette. By 1995, the two had split, and Corn Mo continued performing as a solo act. In the late '90s, he was given the coveted closing track on the Which? Records-released Show and Tell, a punky collection of covers of television theme songs. In addition to curating shows at Liquid Lounge in Dallas, Corn Mo built a reputation for playing individualized shows for fans over the telephone.
Relocating to New York City, Corn Mo became the musical director for the Bindlestiff Family Cirkus, an alternative sideshow-like carnival, featuring gender-bending cowboys and forked-tongue-in-cheek freak shows. In 2000, the Denton-based Hot Link Records issued I Hope You Win!, a collection of 13 original songs.