Blair is the son of Kelly Cunningham Sr. and Ernestine Cunningham. Blair is the youngest of 13 children, 10 boys and 3 girls. His oldest brother Kelly Cunningham Jr. taught all of the brothers to play drums and was his biggest influence. His brother Carl Cunningham was drummer with Stax group the Bar-Kays. Carl died in the same plane crash that killedOtis Redding in December 1967, when Blair was 10 years old.[4]