He is known for the incorporation of story telling into his live show. In particular, Gunning relates anecdotes of notable characters from Pictou County and performs impressions of musicians that he has worked with over the years.
The track "A Game Goin' On" from Gunning's album ''No More Pennies'' was submitted to the Great Canadian Song Quest (2013 edition: ''Hockey Night In Canada Song Quest''). The song was named as a top 10 finalist of the contest. On January 1, 2014, during the NHL Winter Classic "A Game Goin' On" was announced as the winner.