JOIN MICHAEL MARTIN MURPHEY FOR A "COWBOY CHRISTMAS"

Join Michael Martin Murphey for "Cowboy Christmas" this year! For over 30 years he's been bringing his "Cowboy Christmas" to cities all over the country and this year is no different as he will hit 5 states and 16 cities in just under 21 days! This year he's continued some traditions … Rio Grande Band, Rock Mountain Vintage Dancers, Multimedia presentations … and he's added something new, Kyle Dillingham. A dynamic performer in his own right, Kyle will join the band and they will feature him (as well as the spectacular Carin Mari) throughout the evening. 

If you’ve never been, well, this is the year to dive in and experience Christmas, Cowboy Style.

NOVEMBER

26 FORT COLLINS, CO - LINCOLN CENTER

27 SANTA FE, NM - SAINT FRANCIS AUDITORIUM

28 COLORADO SPRINGS, CO - PIKES PEAK CENTER

30 GRAND JUNCTION, CO - AVALON THEATRE

DECEMBER

1 BURLINGTON, CO - BURLINGTON HIGH SCHOOL

2 INDEPENDENCE, KS - JIM HALSEY AUDITORIUM

3 OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - NATIONAL COWBOY MUSEUM

7 LUBBOCK, TX - CACTUS THEATER

8 LUBBOCK, TX - CACTUS THEATER

9 SAN ANTONIO, TX - EMPIRE THEATRE

10 GRAND PRAIRIE, TX - TEXAS TRUST CU THEATRE

12 CORPUS CHRISTI, TX - PERFORMING ARTS CENTER TEXAS A&M CC

14 ANSON, TX - PIONEER HALL

15 ODESSA, TX - THE ECTOR THEATRE

16 KERRVILLE, TX -CAILLOUX CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS

17 AUSTIN, TX - PARAMOUNT THEATRE

JUST IN TIME FOR FATHER'S DAY: MICHAEL MARTIN MURPHEY AND SON RYAN MURPHEY RELEASE "ROAD BEYOND THE VIEW"

In 1973, famed singer / songwriter Michael Martin Murphey invited his 3-year-old son, Ryan to the stage with he and his friend, Willie Nelson, at the Abbot Reunion in Austin. Three years later when Ryan was 6, he joined his dad for a taping of Austin City Limits. He was in the studio at Caribou Ranch in Colorado for the landmark recording of Blue Sky Night Thunder (which yielded top pop hits ”Wildfire” and “Carolina In The Pines”). By the time Ryan was 17, he was performing regularly with Michael and the two even shared a top 10 radio hit, “Talking To The Wrong Man.” Ryan went on to be his father’s lead guitarist of choice, and even produced the Grammy nominated Buckaroo Bluegrass and Michael’s subsequent albums.

But the newest release, Road Beyond The View, slated for release on June 10, 2022, is their first truly collaborative record.

“For the first time in my career, I decided to make an album that is a full collaboration with another artist – my son Ryan Murphey,” says Michael. “We wrote, arranged, produced and performed all of the songs together. The result is something different than either of us have done before, yet it contains all the things with which we’ve experimented.”

Michael’s first album, Geronimo's Cadillac was given a rave review in Rolling Stone for his eclectic songwriting style: 50 years later he's still one the most eclectic singer-songwriters out there. Michael Martin Murphey has never lost his passion for exploring and pushing the boundaries. In the 70s, when pioneering the Texas Music Scene centered in Austin with friends Jerry Jeff Walker, Jimmy Buffett, Townes Van Zandt, Guy Clark and Willie Nelson, he topped the pop charts with hits like “Geronimo’s Cadillac,” “Wildfire” and “Carolina In The Pines.”

Michael followed with a string of Country hits including “Long Line of Love,” “What’s Forever For” and “Still Taking Chances,” then turned his attention to American Cowboy Music with the release of Cowboy Songs, and became the number-one selling artist of Cowboy Music since Marty Robbins. He then focused on the world of bluegrass, again topping the charts and earning a Grammy nomination to boot. Along the way, Michael played music with symphonies, cutting-edge Jazz ensembles, Country, Folk and Bluegrass greats - and even performed in churches like Holy Angels in Kansas, where he made a live album with an expert pipe-organist.

Michael's long-time production and songwriting partnership with Ryan has been enhanced by Ryan's position as the head teacher of the Guitar program, AP Literature and Composition at the prestigious Nashville School of the Arts. Together, the father and son collaboration finds them returning to New Mexican and Southwestern dreamscapes they have known and lived, lyric and vocals set against complex acoustic and electric guitar work.

“It's country, it’s jazz, it’s pop, classical and folk,” Michael says. “It’s a little bit of all of those things. When I was in high school, I was a big jazz fan, but I was also a Bluegrass fan. I was a classical music aficionado, but also a hillbilly and cowboy music fanatic. I drove my parents crazy with folk and flamenco, Charles Ives and Johnny Cash! I still love genre-jumping!"

"I have always been inspired by the pastiche approach that my dad takes to songwriting,” Ryan adds. “I have never seen boundaries in music because of this influence. It is truly an Americana philosophy in the sense that freedom of expression is undeniably what this melting pot is all about. It is also Western in that there is always a new frontier to explore, and that wide open way of thinking makes it into our lyrical concepts. The Southwest, especially for me, is an example of where jazz, country, blues, pop, and latin music come together and are my favorite examples of how our American quilt lives on.”

In a sense, Road Beyond The View represents a full circle turn for the Murpheys. “When he was 6, I taught Ryan to play guitar,” laughs Michael. “I decided it was time for me to start taking more guitar lessons. So I went online with Ryan by way of Zoom and FaceTime and he painstakingly gave me Classical and Jazz guitar lessons.That led to the making of the Road Beyond the View album together."

The Murpheys, who consider New Mexico a second home, found inspiration in the Abstract Impressionism mixed with Realism, Abstract Impressionism, Imagist and Surrealism from Santa Fe. Taos and Southwestern artists.The cover features a painting from noted Taos artist Ed Sandoval, and the Murpheys were inspired by the work of New Mexico icon Georgia O’Keefe.

The title track, in particular, has many references to O’Keefe’s work. “I’ve had a lifelong obsession with New Mexico’s artists,” says Michael. “My own songwriting style is actually an experimental mixture of Abstract Expressionism, Surrealism and Imagist Poetry. My heroes in poetry are William Carlos Williams, James Joyce, Amy Lowell and Ezra Pound. My heroes in painting are Georgia O'Keefe, Salvador Dali, Ed Sandoval, Nicholai Fechin and William C. Matthews. Matthews has done several of my album covers."

“Road Beyond The View,” the title track, contains the central idea of the collection, Michael explains. “As human beings we are all on an risky, adventurous journey. No matter how much we plan, we encounter the unexpected along the way. The way we deal with that is the measure of our lives, the thrill of living is being open to what is around the bend that may be surprising – even shocking.

“What is encountered is sometimes inscrutable,” he continues.“Georgia O’Keefe’s arresting images in her paintings present an ineffable beauty beyond all understanding- making her a renegade. Design lives on in the skeleton where life once hung on the bones. The bones themselves have a kind of eternal life. The story told is multi-faceted, many-sided and open to interpretation."

Finally, says Michael, "I’m going to keep making music and experimenting with sounds and lyrics based on the unexpected; I have no idea where all of this will lead. Every day, I pray ‘God, lead me, but surprise me!’ This Road Beyond the View album is meant to be a theme song for a philosophy of living.”

TEMPLETON THOMPSON JOINED BY MICHAEL MARTIN MURPHEY ON NEW ALBUM

As she prepares for the release of her new album "Get Back Up", Templeton Thompson wanted to share this video of the single, "Ride A Wide Circle." The video features a guest appearance from the legendary Michael Martin Murphey ("Wildfire," "Carolina In The Pines," "What's Forever For." The song is featured on the new album, set for release on April 22. 

Templeton's credits include cuts by the likes of Reba McEntire, Little Texas and Jo Dee Messina. Her songs have, over the past two years, topped the charts in Australia. Her fans include Clay Walker, Australia’s Gina Jeffreys, and western singer Michael Martin Murphey.

For more information on Templeton Thompson, go to www.templetonthompson.com

MICHAEL MARTIN MURPHEY TO BE INDUCTED INTO TEXAS TRAIL OF FAME

Texas native and genre-busting recording artist Michael Martin Murphey has been named among nine inductees into The Texas Trail of Fame honors. A public ceremony is scheduled for Saturday, October 23 at 10 a.m. on the steps of the Livestock Exchange Building in the historic Ft. Worth Stockyards. A sold-out recognition dinner is set for Thursday, October 21 at 6 p.m.

A celebration of Texas culture and Western Heritage, the Texas Trail of Fame was established to honor individuals who have made a significant contribution to the Western way of life.

Along the walkways of the Fort Worth Stockyards National Historic District, bronze inlaid markers are placed in recognition of honorees’ achievements. These markers are patterned after a frontier marshall’s badge and are inscribed with the honoree’s name.It is the desire of the Texas Trail of Fame that reflecting upon these Westerner’s accomplishments will serve as both an educational adventure for the visitor and an inspiration. The ceremonies are scheduled during the 60th Annual Red Steagall Cowboy Gathering, which takes place from October 22 – 24 throughout the Stockyards.

Murphey’s Trail of Fame marker will be placed in front of Billy Bob’s Texas, which is fitting as he has performed the famous venue several times in his five-decades long career.

A proud son of Texas where his family settled in 1858, Murphey’s music blends many genres, including pop, country, Western, Celtic, jazz and bluegrass, and focuses on his personal life as a Southwestern “pilgrim.” Murphey has released over 35 albums. His song “Wildfire” is among the most-aired songs in radio history. His other hits include “Carolina In The Pines,” “Cowboy Logic,” “Geronimo’s Cadillac,” “What’s Forever For?” “Long Line of Love,” “Boy From The Country,” and “Cherokee Fiddle,” among others.

In mid November, Murphey launches his popular Cowboy Christmas Tour, with stops planned in across Texas, New Mexico, Colorado and Oklahoma, among others.Highlighted this year by a special DFW performance at the Texas Trust CU Theatre in Grand Prairie. Tickets are available for all shows on

https://www.michaelmartinmurphey.com/

For more than a quarter century, Murphey has celebrated a tradition that began in Texas in 1885, taking the show across the Southwest to honor Christmas – cowboy style. A multiple Wrangler Award recipient, Murphey was recognized in 2019 with a Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum and National Cowboy Hall of Fame and serves on the Western Folklife Center’s National Advisory Council.

For more information and to see other 2021 inductees, visit:

https://texastrailoffame.org/events/texas-trail-of-fame-awards-banquet/

MICHAEL MARTIN MURPHEY TO BE HONORED WITH LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD DURING 59TH ANNUAL WESTERN HERITAGE AWARDS

Western Singer and advocate Michael Martin Murphey will be honored during The 59th Annual Western Heritage Museum Awards, set for on April 12 —13 at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City, Ok.

Murphey, well known for his outspoken passion for the Western Lifestyle, will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his nearly 50 years producing celebrated Western music.

“In the Old West, songs were shared by pioneers, cattlemen, ranchers, painted ladies and even gunslingers as a way of keeping the West alive,” Murphey said. “I have always been drawn to songs about the love of the land, the strength of the prairie folks, the dusty trails, the mythic tales and the legends of a bygone era. I have always admired Westerners for their stubborn determination and deep love of life. That’s what I celebrate in my music.”

“In the past few decades, no musical artist has done more to chronicle, preserve and further the cowboy culture than Michael Martin Murphey,” observed noted music critic Dave McGee. “His music overflows with life, enough for many of us. To saddle up with Murph is to come in closer touch with enduring truths.”

“Few people are as dedicated to preserving the heritage and beauty of the American West quite like Murphey,” echoed Cowboys & Indians magazine. “Through his music he tells the stories and romance of the Native Americans, cowboys, horsemen, ranchers, outlaws and lawmen. But Murphey has gone beyond storytelling through active involvement in the conservation of the relics and the landscape that define his most treasured region.”

Although Murphey first gained national attention on the pop music scene, he has remained true to his Western roots with hits like "Wildfire" and compositions like "Land of Enchantment ( New Mexico)." The former was a major commercial success and the latter is the “Official State Ballad of New Mexico.”

Born in Dallas, Texas, Murphey began his musical career in folk, pop and "outlaw" country music. Following a successful beginning as a songwriter in California where his songs were recorded by the likes of Kenny Rogers and The Monkees, Murphey returned to his native Texas where he, along with Jerry Jeff Walker, Gary P. Nunn and others, gave rise to the Austin Music Scene. Known as the “Cosmic Cowboy Movement” (named for Murphey’s popular song, “Cosmic Cowboy”), the movement set the stage for the Willie Nelson / Waylon Jennings led Outlaw Movement. His current release, Austinology • Alleys of Austin, is a nod to the music that made Austin an American music center.

“Murphey was a key player in the Austin phenomenon,” Craig Havighurst of WMOT — The String recently said. “Murphey, along with Willie Nelson, Jerry Jeff Walker and others forged a country-rock hybrid that became the foundation for the progressive folk music field we now call ‘Americana’.”

Moving to Colorado in 1975, Murphey scored a massive pop hit, "Wildfire" on his landmark album, Blue Sky/Night Thunder. More hit records followed — including “Carolina In The Pines,” “Geronimo’s Cadillac,” “Long Line of Love,” “What’s Forever For,” “Cowboy Logic” and more — but in 1986, he branched out by launching WestFest, an event that would lead the way in the revival of interest in all things Western. This outdoor festival, repeated in many Western locations and almost annually since then, brought together Western artisans, American Indians and musicians representing several genres but with a focus on the West, and made all of this accessible to the public.

In 1990, he convinced his record label, Warner Brothers, to let him record an album of Western songs, Cowboy Songs, Vol 1. Reluctantly, the executives agreed, and were pleasantly surprised w hen the project earned Murphey a Gold Record.

More Cowboy Songs CDs followed, as did Warner's formation of a new subsidiary label, Warner Western. The new label, at Murphey’s suggestion, recruited some of the best Western talent around, artists Murphey had met at Western gatherings in the late 1980 and early 90s, and a new series of Western music releases was started. This gave national attention and product distribution to artists who had only gained regional recognition up to that point, and eventually led to the launch of other record companies.

This past holiday season Murphey took his 25th Annual Cowboy Christmas tour to some 20 cities, celebrating the uniqueness of the Western Christmas. His Murphey Western Institute is a center for the education, preservation and perpetuation of the arts, culture, history and legacy of the American West.

“In the years following the end of the singing movie cowboy era, especially during the 1970s and 80s, national interest in Western music declined,” said O.J. Sikes in American Cowboy magazine. “It might have been lost had it not been for the successful efforts of a few artists and organizers like Murphey who were dedicated to the preservation and continuation of Western music. With his talent, his vision and his dedication, Michael Martin Murphey played a major role in the revival of Western music.”

Other individuals being recognized this year include legendary Hollywood actor Kevin Costner, who will be inducted into the Hall of Great Western Performers, three-time world champion steer roper (and father of Country Music icon Reba McEntire) Clark McEntire, cowboy and former slave who discovered the first Folsom archaeological site, George McJunkin. Noted cowboy entertainer and musician Dave Stamey will be presented with the Chester A Reynolds Award, bestowed on a living honoree who has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to Western values and ideals.

TEMPLETON THOMPSON RIDES A WIDE CIRCLE IN NEW VIDEO FEATURING MICHAEL MARTIN MURPHEY

Singer/songwriter and recording artist Templeton Thompson called on the iconic Michael Martin Murphey to join her on her new song and music video “Ride a Wide Circle”.

“I couldn’t be more excited” says Thompson, “Michael Martin Murphey is one of my biggest musical heroes!” “I remember riding down Texas back roads, singing along to “Wildfire” and “Carolina In The Pines” so it’s pretty dang amazing to hear that iconic voice singing along with me on this record!

“The fact that he’s in the music video with me is just almost surreal!”

Thompson is a long-time Nashville songwriter whose songs have been recorded by Reba McEntire, Little Texas and JoDee Messina and a host of others. “I spent the first few years of my career in Nashville writing songs for other artists. Actually, I still do, but for the last several years, my focus has been recording my own albums and touring.”

Thompson’s previous music video “When I Get That Pony Rode” was well received and spent 8 consecutive weeks in GAC’s fan-voted Daily Countdown show.

“Ride a Wide Circle” is from Thompson’s “hippie chic cowgirl” album slated for release this Summer.

AFTER 24 YEARS, MICHAEL MARTIN MURPHEY CONTINUES TO PACK VENUES WITH BELOVED COWBOY CHRISTMAS TOUR

After 24 years, American Music Legend Michael Martin Murphey and his Rio Grande Band continues to sell out venue after venue with his beloved Cowboy Christmas Tour.

"It's incredibly humbling that our fans come out to see our show year after year," said the singer best known for hits such as "Wildfire," "Carolinan In The Pines." "Their continued support means more than any award I've ever been given."

Since the tour began in late November, Murphey has had to add performances (which also sold out) in markets like Lubbock, TX, Fredricksburg, TX and Lone Tree, CO and sold out single shows in Lufkin, TX, New Braunfels, TX, Uvalde, TX, Caldwell, TX and Amarillo, TX.

Before Christmas Day, he will have appeared in 12 cities in Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico and Colorado. Tickets were moving briskly long before the tour began.

Murphey moves into his final week of the tour making stops in Oklahoma City, OK, Anson, TX (for the iconic Cowboy Christmas Ball), Sayre, OK, Ft. Worth, Texas (at Bass Hall), Angel Fire, NM and finally, Lone Tree, CO.

For information, visit: www.michaelmartinmurphey.com

The touring tradition was born in the early 1990s, when Murphey produced an album of
cowboy Christmas songs (he has since produced two holiday-themed albums and one DVD, all available on his website), and has developed into the multi-media production it is today.

For nearly a quarter of a century, Murphey has celebrated the cowboy connection to Christmas. “There is a special relationship the Christmas story has to rural communities, farmers and ranchers,” Murphey observes. “God first sent an angel to livestock people — the shepherds in the field. Whether you’re a believer or not, the story emphasizes the fact that the news of the birth of the Savior of the world is not given to the royalty or politicians, but it goes to the lowest people on the totem pole.

"To me, this is an underscoring of the fact that Jesus came for all people, all races and all classes,” he continues. “Jesus is also traditionally depicted as a shepherd, and many of his parables are agricultural stories about farming, livestock and how the earth works. That means that rural people should feel a significant part of the Christmas message because they were chosen to hear that story first."

Murphey has been a major part of America’s musical landscape for four decades. His huge hits include “Wildfire,” “Carolina In The Pines,” “Long Line of Love,” “What’s Forever For,” “Geronimo’s Cadillac” and “Cowboy Logic.” A multiple Grammy nominee and an inductee into the Western Music Hall of Fame, the Texas Country Music Hall of Fame and winner of the Texas Music Award for Best Album, Murphey is a working cowboy who embraces and celebrates what he calls the cowboy culture —a life based on faith, family, hard work, and a passion for conservation and the environment. He says that this philosophy has a strong impact on his holiday show, as does his own family background.

For 24th Annual Cowboy Christmas Tour tickets and more info, please visit www.michaelmartinmurphey.com

MICHAEL MARTIN MURPHEY TO SING FOR KANSAS SENATE

Home on the Range Film Screens at the Kansas State Capitol For

Kansas Legislators With Michael Martin Murphey Appearance 

Lone Chimney Films in association with Sperra Studios will present their newest film Home on the Range on Monday, January 30 in celebration of Kansas Day at 2 pm at the Kansas State Capitol for Kansas legislators and staff.

Legendary singer and performer Michael Martin Murphey will sing the iconic Western song, “Home on the Range,” for the opening of the Kansas State Senate. Murphey, best known for his huge hits “Wildfire,” “Carolina In The Pines,” “Long Line of Love,” “Geronimo’s Cadillac,” “Cowboy Logic” and more, has been a tireless advocate for the preservation of western culture, and worked to help preserve the cabin where Dr. Brewster Higley VI wrote “Home On The Range” in 1872.

Located in Smith County, Kansas, the home has been authentically restored and is now a popular tourist stop.

The film tells the story of the song, the cabin and the lawsuit that determined its origins. It has attracted both well-known actors and accomplished musicians as well.

In addition to Murphey, the film features the talents of Rance Howard, Buck Taylor, Darby Hinton, Skip Gorman, Mitch Holthus, Mark Mannette and many others, including several local actors. Musicians contributing to the project include the legendary rock band Kansas, Skip Gorman, John McEuen, Jed Marum, the Sons of the Pioneers and many more.

The film was directed by Ken Spurgeon and was filmed in Smith Center, El Dorado, Topeka and Wichita, Kansas.

Lone Chimney Films, Inc. is a 501c3 not for profit educational film company based out of Kansas.

The film is sponsored by the Kansas Humanities Council, The People’s Heartland Foundation, Emprise Bank, Northfield School of the Liberal Arts, Philip and Becky Elder, Jim Graf, The Murphey Western Institute, The Logan Foundation, Jim and Bev Mershon, ITC Holdings, Russ and Ilene Briggs, Carl and Jeanette Christman, Russell and Margaret Bomhoff and the generous donations of many others.

MICHAEL MARTIN MURPHEY RETURNS TO HIS ROOTS

By Julie Wenger Watson  



A prolific singer songwriter, Michael Martin Murphey has been an integral part of the American musical landscape since the early ‘70s. Penning and performing perennial favorites “Wildfire”, “Carolina in the Pines” and “Geronimo’s Cadillac”, Murphey’s songs have also been covered by artists like Lyle Lovett, John Denver, Hoyt Axton, Kenny Rogers and The Monkees. His music has topped the pop, country, bluegrass and Western music charts, earning him six gold albums and multiple Grammy nominations over the years.

A native Texan, Murphey grew up in Dallas, part of an extended ranching family. Cowboy songs and Western music have always been a part of his life and he’s been a longtime proponent of Western culture, wilderness and wildlife, as well as the “cowboy lifestyle.” On his latest release, High Stakes: Cowboy Songs VII, Murphey returns to his roots with 13 songs that celebrate that cowboy culture.

“Cowboy music and country music and the music of the plains were brought here in the 1800s, late 1700s colonial period. That is Americana music. That is the original American music,” Murphey commented.

Murphey believes that his home state of Texas, due to its geography and history, was at the center of the creation of this sound.

“[Texas] is the crossroads of black music and Hispanic music and country music and cowboy music, and in many ways, cowboy music from Texas is probably the original American music because it’s so influenced by these,” he commented.

Murphey’s new album is a mix of original songs and covers. He and his son Ryan co-wrote several of the tunes.

“Working with your own flesh and blood is great, and that’s what’s great about the cowboy culture and about the ranchers too, so it fits right in with my tradition,” Murphey noted.

This father-son collaboration dates back decades.

"My son and I have worked together since he was about six years old,” Murphey said. “He may have even been five when he first went on ‘Austin City Limits’ with me. He played guitar and sang a Hank Williams’ song with me. As a teenager, he became my lead guitar player, and over the years, he just became a creative force in my life, including producing a lot of my albums.”

“Three Sons,” a song written by Australian musician John Williamson, is also included on Murphey’s latest release.

“It’s about the pride that [Williamson] has in working with his son on his ranch in Australia,” Murphey explained. “It’s all part of the culture and the way we do business.”

Family ties are important to Murphey.

“My dad and I were very close until the day he died,” Murphey recalled. “My family’s all been involved in my business in one way or another – all my kids, all my grandkids – in the business of making music and helping me get through it all.”

In addition to family, this album also celebrates the land, as well as the people who work it.

“It has a mission,” Murphey said of High Stakes. “This album is about the struggle of people in the cattle business to be recognized for what they do… The mission of this album is to bring out the struggles and the victories. The pride, the joy, the pain, the tears. It’s a set of cowboy songs all about the big human emotions and experiences. It’s about life and death. It’s about outlaw-ing and keeping the law. It’s about love and about forgiveness and about honor – all wrapped up in these songs and seen through the prism of cowboy life.”

For more information on Murphey and his music, visit www.michaelmartinmurphey.com.

MICHAEL MARTIN MURPHEY SCHEDULES STOP AT FRANKLIN THEATER

PRESS RELEASE

FRANKLIN, TENNESSEE — In the early 1970s, Rolling Stone Magazine called Michael Martin Murphey “one of the best songwriters in America.”  Since that time, Murphey has left an indelible mark on the American Music Landscape crafting and recording such iconic hits as “Wildfire,” “Carolina In The Pines”, “Geronimo’s Cadillac”, “Cowboy Logic,” “Cherokee Fiddle”, “Boy From The Country” and more.
 
In the process, he has topped the Pop, Country, Bluegrass and Western Music charts, earned six gold albums and multiple Grammy nominations.

Murphey will appear in Franklin, Tennessee,  at The Franklin Theater (419 Main Street) Thursday, March 26 at 7:00 pm. For information, call 615-538-2076 or visit  http://www.franklintheatre.com

Through all the chart-jumping and genre-busting, Murphey has remained constant to an honest, sophisticated approach to his songwriting.  His new Red River Drifter is a collection that draws from a deep well of eclectic influences ranging from classical to country, blues to bluegrass, pop to western. In fact, it’s simply impossible to pigeon-hole Murphey to one specific genre. He is no more country than rock, no more bluegrass than classical. He is, rather, a true AMERICAN songwriter.

“What I’ve written over the years has always reflected what was influencing me at the time,” says Murphey.  “This album is a return to those days when I was influenced by everything. Right now, some really interesting , intricate melodies are coming to me.”  

A native Texan, Murphey’s songs have always reflected his lifestyle, and are understandably seen through a Western lens, often built on outdoor themes with the sensibilities of his cowboy lifestyle. From the first notes of the bluegrass-driven “Peaceful Country,” Red River Drifter takes listeners on a journey through the broad spectrum of music Murphey absorbs while traveling from city to city — up to 200 dates a year —  from coast to coast.    

At the core of his music is a stubborn determination to be the best songwriter he can be, a focus that has led to his songs being covered by such artists as Lyle Lovett, John Denver, Kenny Rogers, Hoyt Axton, The Monkees and more.  “I spend a lot of time on the road listening to all kinds of music,” he says.  “I grew up in Texas, the world’s number one musical crossroads where anything goes musically.  Texas has produced great artists from every genre. You can wake up and say ‘today, I think I’ll write a symphony’ and you can find an audience for it there. The same can be said about any genre in music.  Texans love music. They enjoy opera and they enjoy bluegrass.  I am a product of that, and I am the Number One fan of all types of music.”  

Red River Drifter was produced by guitar ace Pat Flynn and Ryan Murphey, who has produced Murphey’s last three albums. The majority of the songs were written while the group was working a month-long series of shows in Colorado. “We had a great place to sit on the back porch and look out at the mountains.  It was like sitting there like an eagle on a perch looking at life.”  

It is an approach that has worked well for Murphey.  According to BMI, Murphey has 5 million-performance songs — “Wildfire” (3.9 million), “Cherokee Fiddle” (1.92 million), “Carolina In The Pines” (1.65 million), “Talking To The Wrong Man” (1.21 million), “Still Takin’ Chances” (1.2) — and a total of 11 award-winning BMI songs (6 in Country and 5 in Pop).  Also, according to BMI, repeat, back to back performances of his award winning songs alone, with each song averaging 3 minutes each, would amount to 64 years of continuous airplay.

MICHAEL MARTIN MURPHEY SCHEDULES NASHVILLE STOP

PRESS RELEASE

NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE — In the early 1970s, Rolling Stone Magazine called Michael Martin Murphey “one of the best songwriters in America.” Since that time, Murphey has left an indelible mark on the American Music Landscape crafting and recording such iconic hits as “Wildfire,” “Carolina In The Pines”, “Geronimo’s Cadillac”, “Cowboy Logic,” “Cherokee Fiddle”, “Boy From The Country” and more.  In the process, he has topped the Pop, Country, Bluegrass and Western Music charts, earned six gold albums and multiple Grammy nominations.

Murphey will appear in Nashville, Tennessee onWednesday, September 17 at Third & Lindsley
(818 Third Ave. S) at 7:00 p.m.

For more information call 615-259-9891 or visit http://www.3rdandlindsley.com/

Through all the chart-jumping and genre-busting, Murphey has remained constant to an honest, sophisticated approach to his songwriting. His new Red River Drifter is a collection that draws from a deep well of eclectic influences ranging from classical to country, blues to bluegrass, pop to western. In fact, it’s simply impossible to pigeon-hole Murphey to one specific genre. He is no more country than rock, no more bluegrass than classical. He is, rather, a true AMERICAN songwriter.

“What I’ve written over the years has always reflected what was influencing me at the time,” says Murphey. “This album is a return to those days when I was influenced by everything. Right now, some really interesting , intricate melodies are coming to me.”

A native Texan, Murphey’s songs have always reflected his lifestyle, and are understandably seen through a Western lens, often built on outdoor themes with the sensibilities of his cowboy lifestyle. From the first notes of the bluegrass-driven “Peaceful Country,” Red River Drifter takes listeners on a journey through the broad spectrum of music Murphey absorbs while traveling from city to city — up to 200 dates a year — from coast to coast.

At the core of his music is a stubborn determination to be the best songwriter he can be, a focus that has led to his songs being covered by such artists as Lyle Lovett, John Denver, Kenny Rogers, Hoyt Axton, The Monkees and more. “I spend a lot of time on the road listening to all kinds of music,” he says. “I grew up in Texas, the world’s number one musical crossroads where anything goes musically. Texas has produced great artists from every genre. You can wake up and say ‘today, I think I’ll write a symphony’ and you can find an audience for it there. The same can be said about any genre in music. Texans love music. They enjoy opera and they enjoy bluegrass. I am a product of that, and I am the Number One fan of all types of music.”

Red River Drifter was produced by guitar ace Pat Flynn and Ryan Murphey, who has produced Murphey’s last three albums. The majority of the songs were written while the group was working a month-long series of shows in Colorado. “We had a great place to sit on the back porch and look out at the mountains. It was like sitting there like an eagle on a perch looking at life.”

It is an approach that has worked well for Murphey. According to BMI, Murphey has 5 million-performance songs — “Wildfire” (3.9 million), “Cherokee Fiddle” (1.92 million), “Carolina In The Pines” (1.65 million), “Talking To The Wrong Man” (1.21 million), “Still Takin’ Chances” (1.2) — and a total of 11 award-winning BMI songs (6 in Country and 5 in Pop). Also, according to BMI, repeat, back to back performances of his award winning songs alone, with each song averaging 3 minutes each, would amount to 64 years of continuous airplay.

MICHAEL MARTIN MURPHEY CELEBRATES 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF 'COWBOY CHRISTMAS'

Christmas is a season of tradition, and no one knows that better than Michael Martin Murphey. The iconic musician has worked diligently to keep alive the spirit of the first Cowboy Christmas Ball and this year celebrates his 20th Anniversary for his popular Cowboy Christmas Tour. This year, Murphey and his band will make stops in 20 cities across the Southwest, including an annual visit to Anson, Texas, where the Cowboy Christmas Ball originated in 1885.

“The first time I came to the annual Cowboy Christmas Ball in Anson, Texas, where the community has celebrated the holidays with this event every year since 1934, I was floored that the community had worked so hard to keep it going,” Murphey said. “I fell in love watching the older couples dance and the dances being passed on to the younger people. It reconnected me to the tradition.”

Arriving in Anson, Texas on Christmas night, 1885, native New Yorker Larry Chittenden chronicled a dancing spectacle unparrelled in those days by composing the rhythmic, rollicking lines of The Cowboys’ Christmas Ball, a six stanza verse that still remembered and anthologized many times in print and song.


Modeling a show after the annual Anson event, Murphey took the celebration on the road, and has over the past two decades, performed the ball in such prestigious venues as Bass Hall (Ft. Worth, TX), The National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum (Oklahoma City, OK), the National Hispanic Cultural Center Journal Theater (Albuquerque, NM) and The Performing Arts Center at Texas A&M University (Austin, TX). This year's tour begins on Nov. 21 in Colorado Springs and will continue through December. Visit www.michaelmartinmurphey.com for a complete listing of stops on the tour.

“The Cowboy Christmas Ball is steeped in everything I hold dear of growing up in Texas at Christmas time,” Murphey said. “All the old dances are here... the waltzes, the mazurkas, the Paul Jones, the Virginia Reel... all these dances are still done here. The women make their own costumes and clothes and the men still wear string ties and frock coats. It’s a family reunion of friends.”

“This is my favorite season of the year,” Murphey continued. “We remember our fathers and mothers. We celebrate our children and we treasure our friends and the many blessing given by our Lord. It really brings out the very best in all of us.”

Michael Martin Murphey’s Cowboy Christmas 20th Anniversary FAQ

Michael, your show has become a holiday tradition for many. Is it still as much fun for you as it is for audiences?

MMM: I love putting together my Cowboy Christmas show every year. I'm glad the audience has fun with it, but I'm having just as much fun because it's such a creative challenge. I change about a third of the show content every year to include material from my most recent albums. I switch out cowboy poetry and change the stories between songs.

You've been doing the show for 20 years, what keeps you doing it?

MMM: The Cowboy Christmas tradition becomes more of a treasure to me every year. It brings people the warmth, nostalgia and joy of an old-fashioned Christmas. People have made it a part of their lives, and that is a great comfort to me.

How did the Cowboy Christmas Ball get started and how has it changed over the years?

MMM: The first event that became known as the "Cowboys' Christmas Ball" was held in Anson, Texas in 1885, at M.G.Rhodes' "Morning Star Hotel". Larry Chittenden of New Jersey (1862-1934), who was a dry goods salesman and journalist for New York publications, came to Anson in 1883 to help his uncle find ranch land, attended the ball in 1885. He was so amused by what he saw and heard he wrote a poem called, "The Cowboys' Christmas Ball." The first ball was so popular it was repeated in subsequent years.  Chittenden's poem was published in the local Anson, Texas newspaper called the "Texas Western" in 1890. In 1893, the poem was in Chittenden's book, "Ranch Verses", which was wildly popular across the United States and Europe. The Texas Cowboys' Christmas Ball became world-famous.
   
During World War I and the Prohibition years the Texas Cowboys' Christmas Ball fell by the wayside, due to lack of men in the community during wartime, and attacks from the pulpit on dancing. But a young schoolteacher named Leonora Barrett revived the ball in 1934; she worked diligently to revive the dance, and have the Texas Cowboys' Christmas Ball recognized as treasure of tradition and folkways. The Texas Cowboys' Christmas Ball Dancers were invited to Washington, D.C., by President Franklin Roosevelt as result of Ms. Barrett's efforts, and a few years later they also were invited to the National Folk Festival held in Washington, D.C.

I played the Texas Cowboys' Christmas Ball in Anson in 1991, and I've returned every year. I was inspired by what I saw, so decided to create a trademark touring production called "Cowboy Christmas", "Cowboy Christmas Ball." I've changed the show a bit every year, but certain songs from my first "Cowboy Christmas" album always in demand. I've added rear-screen projection, a back-drop, and special effects, but the straightforward, nostalgic songs of my "Cowboy Christmas- Cowboy Songs II" album are always in demand. The main change I've seen over the years is that people often come dressed in Victorian clothing, though that is not required.

How would you describe the show for those who may be seeing it for the first time this year? Anything new this year?

MMM: The show is made up of Christmas music, my hit songs, cowboy poetry and classic cowboy music. The music is the essence of the show, but we use special effects and rear-screen projection to support the music.

Is there a favorite moment for you during the show?

MMM: I love the audience's reaction to "The Cowboys' Christmas Ball" song. They really "whoop it up" when they hear that song !

Do you have a favorite traditional Christmas carol? What and why?

MMM: My favorite traditional Christmas Carol is "In the Moon of Wintertime", because it's a telling of the Nativity story using Native American imagery.

Cowboy musician praises 5 carols  - Holiday songs deliver notes of history
By Sharon Chapman          
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF

Michael Martin Murphey is a Grammy nominee and a member of the Cowboy Hall of Fame, among other honors. The prolific writer, singer and musician brings his "Cowboy Christmas Show," now in its 19th year, to the Paramount Theatre tonight. The show is heavy on the holidays, of course, but also will include some of Murphey's other hits. We asked the Texas native to share some of his favorite holiday songs:

1. 'The Cowboys' Christmas Ball'        

"Since I'm a Texas-born cowboy, my absolute favorite Christmas song is "The Cowboys' Christmas Ball." Larry Chittenden, a young journalist for New York publications, was visiting Anson, Texas, in 1885 when he wrote a poem about a wild dance that he attended at the Morning Star Hotel. Chittenden's poem was widely published, making the Texas Cowboys' Christmas Ball world famous. Since 1885, the Ball missed a few years because of World War I, but a school teacher named Leonora Barrett revived the ball in 1934. President Franklin D. Roosevelt invited the ball dancers, callers and musicians to Washington, D.C., in 1938. This year, I play the 2011 77th Annual Re-Enactment of the Texas Cowboys' Christmas Ball in Anson."

2. 'Twas in the Moon of Wintertime'  (Huron Carole)  

"This Christmas carol was written by the Rev. Jean de Brébeuf, a missionary priest to the Huron Indians, in Quebec in 1674. The Nativity is described in Indian imagery. It sounds like a Gregorian chant, which is a similar musical scale as the Indians used."

3. 'Joy to the World'

"Isaac Watts wrote the words, and George Frideric Handel, author of "The Messiah," wrote the music. Lowell Mason is credited with arranging the piece from "The Messiah," but Methodists were singing it prior to 1833. I love the outdoor imagery of the song; the story of Christmas is pastoral in nature. The tradition is that Jesus is born in a manger, surrounded by farm animals. I play it on the banjo in my "Cowboy Christmas" show."

4. 'I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day'    

"This is a carol of release of anger and forgiveness. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's son was wounded in war. Grief-stricken, Longfellow walked the streets on Christmas Eve, but the chiming bells at midnight overcame his bitterness. Longfellow's poem was set to a wonderful folklike melody by Jean Baptiste Calkin."

5. 'The First Noel'              

"I love this carol because it follows the story of Christmas in the form of a medieval mystery play. I also like the democratic message in this hymn; wealthy wise men and shepherds are included in the grace of the miracle, and encouraged to worship 'in one accord.'"

MICHAEL MARTIN MURPHEY HITS TOP TEN ON BILLBOARD BLUEGRASS CHART

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Red River Entertainment Recording Artist Michael Martin Murphey has already hit the Top Ten of the Billboard Magazine Bluegrass charts one week after the album’s release.

Red River Drifter is a solid Americana blend of Murphey's influences over the years, touching not only on bluegrass, but pop, jazz, country and even classical. Produced and co-written with his son, Ryan, and guitar ace Pat Flynn, it is also Murphey's first album of all new original songs in nearly 20 years.



The response has been terrific:

“Herein are some of the most exquisite melodies he’s ever crafted; some of the finest singing of his later years.., unquestionably some of the most complex lyrics he’s ever composed.., and tight, focused, emotionally resonant instrumental work. strikingly captured in bright, clear sonics. With a catalogue as broad and deep as Murph’s, it’s a fool’s errand to proclaim Red River Drifter the best album he’s ever delivered, but anyone who would dare assert it doesn't rank with the cream of the bluegrass, cowboy and early classic albums such as Geronimo’s Cadillac, Cosmic Cowboy Souvenir and Blue Sky-Night Thunder (from whence sprang the towering “Wildfire” and “Carolina in the Pines”) is in need of counseling.”

MICHAEL MARTIN MURPHEY'S "RED RIVER DRIFTER" SET FOR RELEASE JULY 9

NASHVILLE, Tennessee — Red River Entertainment is proud to announce the July 9 release of Michael Martin Murphey's "Red River Drifter". In recent years Murphey has been exploring the similarities between bluegrass and American cowboy music. But for Red River Drifter, he brought in some very eclectic and unexpected elements to the writing process. “I wrote songs that drew from what is inspiring me at this point in my life,” he says. “Every style was fair game. We intentionally did not follow formulas or rules.”

Murphey has received multiple Grammy nominations during his incredible career including one for Best Bluegrass Album for his Buckaroo Blue Grass album in 2009. He has also earned six gold albums and performs more than 150 shows per year. As a songwriter, his work has been covered by John Denver, Lyle Lovett, Johnny Lee, Kenny Rogers, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Jerry Jeff Walker, Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver, and a host of other recording artists.