Terry Murphy: Press

Live like an Artist by Terry Murphy

This CD by Terry Murphy creates a mood and sound very much in the
tradition of our greatest folksingers. There is a nice combination of fun
songs, protest songs and songs defining the human condition. The two
leadoff songs” Holy Moly”, “Catfish Bay” are statements about how to enjoy
life by simply enjoying what’s around you. While “The Sod It Ain’t No
More” sounds like it was written by Woody Guthrie in Oklahoma during the
Great Depression. And Terry is not afraid to include the names of the
nasty folks responsible for the tragedy he speaks of in this song.

The whole disk is full of great melodies with powerful words as Murphy
speaks his mind about issues great and small. I guarantee you will be
humming these tunes after you hear ‘em.

In the song “American Music” I love the fact that Terry doesn’t take the
high road by condemning our society because everything we buy is made
elsewhere. He acknowledges that he “drives a foreign car” with foreign
tires and wears clothes made in Norway or Guatemala. The song simply says
we live in global community and we Americans should be proud of our
contribution to that community. Our music and our culture – as well as
our craving for freedom are among our greatest contributions to the world.
An acknowledgement of “banjos hail from Burlington” is a great nod to a
fellow picker who makes banjos in Murphy’s home town. This song is a
highlight for me.

“Another Day for Redemption” is an optimistic tune with a feeling can’t
help but get you going each morning. If I’m smart I will play it at the
start of each day. Just to fire me up!

We need more CD’s filled with songs like these that convey an optimistic
outlook in spite of the times we live in. I absolutely love this disk.





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September - October
2006
A Bimonthly Publication
of the Burlington Area
Arts Council, Inc.
Terry Murphy Releases CD "Live Like An Artist"
Local musician Terry Murphy performed his original folk music
on August 13 to a crowd at the Daily Brew Coffeehouse in
Burlington to introduce the release of his new CD, "Live Like An
Artist." The 2006 release on the Sleeping Dog Records, Inc. label
was recorded at USUW Studios at UW-Whitewater.
Performing with Murphy were Jeff Peterson and John Spitzer, providing
over two hours of musical entertainment.
Murphy chatted his way through a repertoire of tunes that included
social and political commentary, personal events, love ballads,
and reflections. A teacher himself, Murphy plays by invitation at
area schools for all ages, and states that "there's nothing finer than
to play music for a whole bunch of kindergarten kids." He sees a
renaissance back to the roots of folk music, "a simpler kind of
music from the heart."
Murphy's melodies and lyrics are there for the listener to absorb
and enjoy. He sings about his mistakes, love for family, fun, stories,
and fears. Among his notables, "Another Day for
Redemption," has unique, quirky lyrics, which he sings with a
smile, inspired partially by the family's "ten-thousand dollar golden
retriever," a costly animal due to health expenses! "American Music," says Murphy, "is about how music is
our best export." The song was played on a Belgian Roots radio music program and contains the insightful
lyrics "…coffee comes from the Daily Brew…from
Burlington…but the music's from the 50 states…."
Some of Murphy's music utilizes fancy instrumental
work on guitar, mandolin, and banjo, as well as great
lyrics.
What about the title track? It means when his wife is
out of town, Murphy still leaves his guitars, and
probably more, lying around.
To order the CD, visit Murphy's website at
http://www.terrymurphymusic.com/home.html. To
hear samples of the tunes, go to
https://www.cdbaby.com/cd/terrymurphy.

Sleeping Dog Records and the new release of Live like an Artist was mentioned in the winter edition of the famous Sing Out folk music magazine.

The concert with Terry Murphy and Jared Nichols is highlighted

Terry Murphy said he fell in love with music in 1964 along with millions of others the moment the Beatles hit America on “The Ed Sullivan Show.” With music injected into his veins, the then 11-year-old Murphy started his first “band.” “A group of us made guitars out of yard sticks and cardboard and memorized ‘Meet the Beatles,’” he said. “We’d charge the neighborhood to watch our Beatles show. I was John (Lennon).” The next year, Murphy bought his first guitar because he wanted to master "Wild Thing" by the Troggs. Although he is known by many as a special education teacher at East Troy High School, Murphy’s life has been all about the music ever since. He continued to play guitar and sing through his years in Catholic school and high school in Kaukauna in the 1960s until he set off for college in Eau Claire in the early 1970s. He began performing while at college when he was 19. “It kind of got into my blood,” he said of playing in front of people for the first time. Inspired by the likes of the Beatles, The Who, Joe Cock-er, Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young and Sly and the Family Stone, Murphy began playing on campus at coffee houses, open mics, parties and the bar scene.
As a performer, Murphy quickly fell into the wave of rock ‘n’ roll of the late 1960s and early 1970s. “Music was the pulse of the younger generation,” Murphy said. “It represented a state of mind.” Murphy recalled studying Simon and Garfunkel’s “The Sounds of Silence,” written in the aftermath of the John F. Kennedy assassination, during a poetry unit at school and the impact of the Vietnam War on campus. “You could not escape it. You were forced to look at things and music became a vehicle so that you could reflect what you saw,” Murphy said. Although, Murphy never set out to become a rock star, he carried his love of music and music making into adult-hood.
When he was 20, Murphy quit school and hitchhiked to New York City with nothing but his backpack, guitar and appetite for Jack Keroac novels. “I wanted a different climate,” he said. Murphy held a variety of odd jobs while continuing to perform any chance he got until he returned to school years later. Murphy graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater in 1985 and earned his Master’s degree in 1990. When he began work as a special education teacher, Murphy said he always had a guitar in his hands. “I used music as a way of bridging the gap between kid and adult,” he said. Even with the demands of teaching, Murphy continued to perform as a solo artist and with bands around the area because of his love for the live show.
When Murphy’s career and family life gave him less time on the road, he started focusing on songwriting. “Songwriting kept me alive when I wasn’t performing,” he said. Murphy said he decided to record his first CD “Live Like an Artist” in the fall of 2006 because of all of the songs he accumulated. “I had written so many songs and I thought ‘Why not me?’ Other people were recording. I wanted to archive my songs for my family,” he said. Murphy, who lives in Waterford with his wife Katy, is now celebrating the release of his second CD “Small Town Charm.” “The new project departs from ‘Live Like an Artist’ in instrumentation and production methods,” Murphy said. “’Small Town Charm’ has more of a layered approach without compromising the integrity of the song or performance. The 14 tracks of instrumental and vocal music feature a collection of folk songs in which Murphy sings about the places he’s encountered, relationships and his curiosity for people. “Small Town Charm” showcases studio recordings of a variety of area musicians and close friends of Murphy. He recruited 13 musicians and performers for the CD. “Certainly one of the small town charms I have come to know are the gifted musicians that live in my small town,” he said. The biggest collaboration took place with the song “Fields of Peace,” with choral music director Derek Machan and the 2008 Waterford Union Vocal Jazz Group. Murphy said the song was inspired by a visit to the Peace Garden on the Canada/United States border. The project was recorded at two different studios with the bulk of it recorded at Limelight Studio in Burlington under the direction of Joey Halbur, studio owner/engineer. Two songs were recorded at Udubdub in Whitewater. The CD features back up vocals by Jenny Hensgen and Anne Phillips, both of Water-ford. Murphy’s son Shane, a college freshman, is featured on the title track. Murphy wrote the song “Small Town Charm” based on a conversation he and Shane had while eating lunch at a diner in Waterford. Other contributors include Ron Weiler of Waterford on bass, ETHS teacher Tim Hummel on drums, Brian "Looper" Lucas of Elkhorn on harp, Rick Lewis of Waterford on dobro and lap steel, Carlo Cotrone of Milwaukee on the keyboard, Jeffrey Santaga of Waterford on clarinet and sax and Elias Goldstein of East Troy on the viola and fiddle. Murphy plays guitar and mandolin. The project was mastered by three-time Grammy winner, Elliott Federman in his Long Island, N.Y. studio. “Elliott provided some fresh ears and a level of professionalism to make the project competitive and certainly something I am proud to be a part of,” Murphy said. Graphic work for the CD was designed by East Troy resident Jay Harris of Hacjob design. “It has been a detail driven journey that tested my patience, but again opened my eyes to the wonderfully unexpected joys that come with the creative process,” Murphy said.
Although, he’s completed the process for “Small Town Charm,” Murphy is continuing in his musical journey as a writer and performer. Murphy has also already started thinking about releasing a third CD. “I’ve got 10 songs ready to go,” he said. “Small Town Charm” is available at ww.burnondemand.com. It is also for sale in East Troy at Local Industry, W2463 County Road ES, and Not Just Beans, 3268 Main St. Other locations where the disc is available include Espresso Love in Mukwonago, Music Café in Mukwonago, Java Joe’s in Waterford, Ink Spot in Waterford and Daily Brew in Burlington.