I will play solo, duo or full band depending on the gig. Recently working with Rick Krueger and Christina Abbott. Also Scott E. Moore or Marc Muller...
Influences
INFLUENCED BY: Who the hell knows?
PERFORMED WITH:
Suzanne Vega, Freedy Johnston, Steve Forbert, Lucy Kaplansky, Mike Doughty, Slaid Cleaves, Alejandro Escovedo, Jimmie Dale Gilmore, Vic Chesnutt, Ray Wylie-Hubbard, Christine Lavin, Nicole Atkins...
PERFORMED AT: Kerrville Folk Festival-Kerrville, TX, Wildflower Music and Arts Festival-Richardson, TX, Joe's Pub-New York, NY, the Living Room-New York, NY, Southpaw-Brooklyn, NY, Postcrypt Café- New York, NY, Knitting Factory-New York, NY, Tin Angel-Philadelhia, PA, Steel City Coffeehouse-Phoenixville, PA, Susquehanna Music & Arts Festival-Havre-de-Grace, MD, Nameless Coffeehouse-Boston, MA, Acoustic Café-Bridgeport, CT, SONO Festival-Norwalk, CT, Muddy Waters Cafe-Charleston, SC, the Writers Hang-Hoboken, NJ, the Stone Pony and the Saint in Asbury Park, NJ, Outpost in the Burbs-Montclair, NJ, Maxwells-Hoboken, NJ and the New Jersey Folk Festival...live on-air performances on radio at WFUV-New York, NY, WUMB-Boston,MA, WFDU-Teaneck, NJ, WNTI-Hackettstown, NJ and more...
RECORDINGS:
2009 "Stumbling Towards Grace" (Coming in August!!!) Produced by Dave Murphy Featuring: Shawn Pelton, David Henry, Christina Abbott and more...
2008 "Stories from Snake Hill" Co-Produced by Marc Muller (Steve Forbert, Shania Twain) and Dave Murphy Featuring: Shawn Pelton, Zev Katz, David Henry and more...
2003 "Chasing Ghosts" Produced by Marc Muller Special Guests: Steve Forbert, Nicole Atkins and more.
2000 "Things We Can't Forget" EP Produced by Joe Devico & Dave Murphy
1998 "Under the Lights" Produced by Plink Giglio & Dave MurphySpecial Guests: Glen Burtnick
SOME PRESS:
"A musical Raymond Carver, Murphy taps the raw nerve so many struggling songwriters can’t seem to find..." ~Twin Cities Revue
"...a wonderful triumph of the human spirit in song." ~Tribes Hill News
"Murphy is a natural storyteller who uses both image-rich lyrics and compelling melodies to illustrate his tale. With the addition of tight vocal harmonies and creative instrumentation, Murphy's music, at once thought-provoking and an easy listen, graciously rides the fine folk/Americana line." ~Fairfield County Weekly
"Murphy sings in a gentle, unaffected baritone that suits his musings perfectly."
~Performing Songwriter Magazine
DAVE"S NEW CD “Stumbling Towards Grace” AVAILABLE in AUGUST!!!! ALSO BRAND NEW WEBSITE COMING SOON!!!!
DAVE's MUSICAL BIO
Radio personality John Platt, of WFUV FM in New York City aptly described New Jersey based singer-songwriter Dave Murphy as “the real deal.” During an on-air interview Platt asked Murphy; “being from the northeast, how is it that your music has such a feel of the American heartland?” Murphy paused…and answered simply “well John… it’s because I really like dairy products.” Clearly, Murphy does not take himself too seriously and this trait alone sets him apart from the glut of singer-songwriters out there.
“Up-and-coming singer/songwriter Dave Murphy flavors this diva-dominated genre with the unnerving perspective of a guy, you know, the strong but sensitive type…Murphy is a natural storyteller who uses both image-rich lyrics and compelling melodies to illustrate his tale…Murphy's music at once thought-provoking and an easy listen, graciously rides the fine folk/Americana line.” - Fairfield County Weekly
Murphy has performed at hundreds of venues from Texas to New England. Top listening rooms and clubs including Joe's Pub, the Living Room, the Knitting Factory and Southpaw in New York City, Tin Angel in Philadelphia, Maxwell's in Hoboken,NJ and Outpost in the Burbs in Montclair,NJ. Festivals such as the Kerrville Folk Festival and the Wildflower Festival in Texas, SONO Music & Arts Festival in Connecticut and the New Jersey Folk Festival.
Over the last several years Murphy has shared the stage with Suzanne Vega, Steve Forbert, Slaid Cleaves, Alejandro Escovedo, Freedy Johnston, Christine Lavin, Lucy Kaplansky, Mike Doughty, Jimmie Dale Gilmore, Vic Chesnutt, Ray Wylie Hubbard and Christine Lavin among others.
Under the Lights, released in 1998 was Murphy’s solo debut album. Honest, intimate and revealing, this collection of original tunes reflected Murphy’s personal journey up until that point. In December 1999 Performing Songwriter selected Under the Lights as a prestigious Top- 12 DIY pick.
“Murphy sings in a gentle, unaffected baritone that suits his musings perfectly. He knows what he knows and he’s working on the rest. For the like-minded, Under the Lights will be illuminating, indeed.”- Performing Songwriter
“The collection’s simple, clean production compliments his bare-bones lyrics and smooth voice. A musical Raymond Carver, Murphy taps the raw nerve so many struggling songwriters can’t seem to find, creating a tight, focused album that delivers everything it promises.”- Twin Cities Revue
Chasing Ghosts, released in 2003 (Murphy’s second album) clearly reflects his ongoing evolution as both a songwriter and performer. Graced by a guest appearance by Grammy nominated troubadour Steve Forbert, Chasing Ghosts received significant airplay on Americana and Triple-A radio stations across the country. It was a “Top 5-most added” CD on the national “Americana Charts” and it spent over 12 weeks on the national “Top 35” Folk Airplay Charts at one point reaching as high as number 11.
Chasing Ghosts was produced by Marc Muller who has been a member of country superstar Shania Twain’s touring band since 1995 and co-produced Steve Forbert’s last two studio records. In addition to Muller and Forbert a bevy of talented musicians contributed to Chasing Ghosts including David Hamburger (Joan Baez, Freedy Johnston), Graham Hawthorne (David Byrne, Paul Simon), Conrad Korsch (Rod Stewart, Joan Osborne), Neil Thomas (Five- Chinese Brothers) and Columbia recording artist, Nicole Atkins.
“Impressive…finely crafted songs.”- Acoustic Live
“A masterful blend of Country, Americana and Folk Rock, a wonderful triumph of the human spirit in song.”- Tribes Hill News
In late 2003, as Chasing Ghosts was gaining momentum on the national Americana and Triple A radio airplay charts, Murphy was diagnosed with kidney cancer and after a successful surgery a full recovery followed. Though he was unable to fully capitalize on the airplay Chasing Ghosts was receiving, Murphy continues to this day to embrace that period of his life as a time of physical healing and spiritual growth.
In 2005 Dave Murphy’s songwriting talents were again formally acknowledged as he was selected as a Finalist in the prestigious New-Folk Competition at the Kerrville Folk Festival in Texas. He performed his songs “Chesapeake” and “Lost and Lonely Heart” at the festival in May 2005.
In the same year he was a finalist at the Wildflower Music & Arts Festival Singer-Songwriter Contest, also in Texas and in 2007 Murphy was chosen as a winner of the New Jersey Folk Festival Songwriting contest.
Stories from Snake Hill, Dave Murphy’s 3rd full-length solo album, co-produced by Murphy and Marc Muller will be released in May 2008. On this record, the songs take center stage. There is a sense of cohesiveness and continuity on this record that are bound by the songs themselves and Murphy’s unaffected vocal delivery as well as a stellar backing band that knows just when to back off and just when to turn it on.
In addition to Murphy the players include co-producer/guitarist Marc Muller (Steve Forbert, Shania Twain), the world-class rhythm section of Shawn Pelton (Sheryl Crow, Shawn Colvin, SNL Band) on drums and Zev Katz (Roseanne Cash, Lucy Kaplansky, Suzanne Vega) on bass, Rob Clores (Black Crowes, Jesse Malin) on Hammond and David Henry (Guster, Josh Rouse, Cowboy Junkies) ..o.
“Most of the songs on Stories From Snake Hill are not autobiographical, at least not in the conventional sense, but as I listen to them, I find my friend Dave in between the words. He offers up no great philosophical treatise, but provides stories of human relationships — between friends, lovers, families, and the places to which they are tied. These are songs about the ties that bind us and the relationships that cause us pain, bring us joy, and ultimately make our lives worth living…
These are also songs rooted to a place that Dave and I both call home. I’m a Jersey boy whose been living in Minneapolis longer than I care to remember, and Dave is a Jersey Boy now living in Brooklyn. This music brings me back to the place from which I came. There are obvious clues in the lyrics, but that sense of place is really in the music. In ways I can’t explain, this music feels like the stretch of the East Coast spanning from New York to Maryland. To me, these songs feel like home.
Given that, the title is an apt one. Snake Hill (officially Laurel Hill) — a rock formation near the Meadowlands in Secaucus, New Jersey — is the former site of a quarry and a notorious asylum. Now, it’s best known as a graffiti-covered landmark visible from the Jersey Turnpike. As it’s quite close to Dave’s home, these are, almost literally, the stories he sees unfolding from Snake Hill.”- Bill Snyder, Writer/Columnist -Minneapolis, MN
Murphy can really pull it off in a live performance and his songs resonate with honesty, intelligence, vulnerability and a sense of hard earned wisdom, yet never come across as heavy-handed. He takes you on a lyrical pilgrimage through the American soul, whether he’s telling the story of an aging Viet Nam era war widow in “Chesapeake” or sharing his own deeply personal journey with addiction in “the Bottom”. But just when you think things may be getting a bit too serious Murphy belts out “My Garden State” his tongue and cheek ode to New Jersey. Murphy strives to peel away the layers and go deeper in search of that place where the truth lives, exposing it, often from a unique and unexpected perspective.
Recently Murphy was a regional finalist in the 2008 Mountain Stage New-Song Competition, he was also awarded 1st Place in the 2007 Great American Song Contest (acoustic/folk category) for his song "Chesapeake" the lead off track on "Stories From Snake Hill" "Chesapeake" which was co-written by Marc Muller was also selected to be included in the Urban Angel Music compilation CD "Walk the Line." Urban Angel Music out of Belfast, Ireland is one of the fastest growing Music Production Companies, Record Label and Music Publishers in all the UK and Ireland. Distribution of the compilation will started in January 2009 throughout Europe and the US.
In June 2008 Murphy released "Stories From Snake Hill." It's available through most on-line music retailers including CDBaby.com and I-Tunes as well as selected brick & mortar locations.
Dave's brand new CD tentatively titled "Stumbling Towards Grace" will be available for on-line purchase in August 2009.
For complete press, photos and schedule go to Dave's EPK (Electronic Press Kit) at www.sonicbids.com/davemurphy
For booking contact: Dave Murphy at: d.murphy1@att.net or 201.452.5073
We're hiring: Roots Music Bands. If you are a reggae, blues, klezmer, Irish or bluegrass band, we want to book you. Go here for information: http://northamptoncommunity. ning. com
FL's nice - warm - but sometimes: Skyscrapers to climb, Money to lose, Fortunes to find, Dodgin' semis on the turnpike, Snake Hill on my mind... And the crowded Jersey shore, There was a whole lot more. Peace. da' Crow
everything going well, having a live recording at Arlene's this sat 3-5ish Louise will be doing the same from 12-2ish, if you can make it :0)
Also having a cool show iwth the Delivery Girls coming up...you'd love it! We're doing a really cool version of "Sweet Child of Mine and Like a Prayer" among some other really cool shtuffs. Lots of industry peeps will be there too and would be happy to introduce you around, so DO let me know if you are coming!
Hey Dave, the tunes are sounding good!! I think you might enjoy our new music video featuring He-man vs Skeletor!! Best of luck to you in the new year. -adam http://www. youtube. com/watch?v=vTxC_BEj7Rk
SOOO great seeing u last night! and i cant believe i havnt seen u play since the cafe days! too long man listening to the new cd now and i love it! keep up the great work man
So, a little something interesting for you - Tina Perry, as in of the Russell Wolf days Tina, found me here! Nothing like a little blast from the past ;)
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