“wandering minstrel of the West” – L.A. Times
Michael Martin Murphey’s musical journey has taken many unpredictable paths over the past fifty years. Topping the pop, country, western, and bluegrass charts, Murphey has never been one to rest on his laurels. A loyal American son from Texas, Murphey is best known for his chart-topping hits “Wildfire”, Carolina In The Pines”, “What’s Forever For”, “Long Line of Love”, “Geronimo’s Cadillac”, “Cowboy Logic”, and many more across his thirty-five albums released to date.
Murphey’s long-running incarnation as a purveyor of the music, lifestyle, and values of the American West is one of many musical mantles he has worn over the years. To track his career path is to span the country itself, from coming of age in the Texas folk music scene to Los Angeles to Colorado to Nashville and then back to his native Texas. Murphey’s original songs have been recorded by The Monkees, Kenny Rogers, The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, John Denver, Hoyt Axton, Johnny Cash, Tracy Byrd, Lyle Lovett, Jerry Jeff Walker, Dolly Parton, Johnny Rivers, Billy Ray Cyrus, and many others.
During the early 1970s in Austin, TX along with artists like Jerry Jeff Walker and Gary P. Nunn, Murphey created the “Cosmic Cowboy” movement, which was pivotal in drawing artists like Willie Nelson to the scene and helped birth the “outlaw” country movement. Murphey has since been given the prestigious Charlie Russell Award for Western Heritage. He is a five-time recipient of the Wrangler Award from the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum and Cowboy Hall of Fame.
Recent releases like 2018’s Austinology and 2022’s The Road Beyond the View showcase his enduring creativity, collaborating with icons of the Austin music scene and his own son, Ryan Murphey. As he continues to innovate and inspire, Michael Martin Murphey remains a towering figure in the landscape of American music.
Recommended for Fans of Marty Robbins, John Denver, Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton.
Learn More: https://www.michaelmartinmurphey.com/
- Genre:
- Americana
