| |
MINNIE MURPHY
With just a keyboard
and her coolly beautiful voice, Minnie Murphy can captivate a room
and hold an audience in her spell, taking them on an entertaining
voyage they’ll not soon forget.
Though barely in her 20’s, the enchanting singer possesses
a grace and talent that belies her young years, and a confidence
that definitely radiates whenever she takes center stage.
She no doubt developed that confidence growing up in a family full
of performers, where she was introduced to the music business practically
from birth. Father Jimmy Murphy is a talented musician who helmed
his own band for years in New Zealand before moving to the States
and meeting Minnie’s mother, who also happened to be a singer
and classical pianist.
When Minnie wasn’t outside hiking or riding her bike on the
beautiful outdoor trails of Bellingham, WA where she grew up, she
was taking piano lessons from her mother and being exposed to all
types of music. Minnie soon found she had a real aptitude for the
instrument and spent hours every day tinkering away at the keyboard
and constructing melodies on her own. Her mother was soon introducing
her to classical music and jazz greats like Nina Simone, and Minnie
found she was drawn to it all, especially the great vocalists.
She enjoyed Bjork and Sarah McLachlan as much as she did Diamond
Rio (one of her favorite bands), and was surrounded by all types
of music from the time she was small. “Music has always been
a part of my life, all types of music. In my piano lessons I studied
Classical music. I also liked new age music too and I loved
Mariah Carey. I’d sing her music all the time. I also
love Aretha Franklin and she was a big influence for me as a vocalist.
I feel like you can listen to Aretha and it can change your life,
you know! My dad would also play country music and classic
rock. He also performed in a piano bar and would get me onstage
to sing with him. I was really exposed to all types of music
and grew to love it all.” But it was country music,
with its lyrical and melodic content, that Minnie gravitated toward
most. As Minnie became more proficient on piano, she and
her mother started writing songs together and Minnie expanded her
musical talent even further.
Minnie no doubt also found inspiration from one of her older half
sisters, Capitol recording artist, Jamie O’Neal. “Ever
since I was a kid I always looked up to Jamie…we always
spent our Christmases together as a family and she lived with us
when I was really small. I have three half sisters and they’re
all very talented,” quips Murphy.
As Minnie grew up, Jamie also called on her to perform with her
for some high-profile gigs like the “Grand Ole Opry”,
and “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” as well as The
4th Annual Country Music Festival in Athens, Greece and the Merritt
Mountain Music Festival in Canada, giving the talented teen
some invaluable experience at a young age. Minnie eventually
landed a weekend gig singing at a local hotel in Bellingham and
continued to write country songs with her family, all the while
dreaming of moving to Nashville. She didn’t have to dream
too long. Her debut project on Montage Music Group is due
out summer of 2008 and she is eagerly anticipating the chance share
her own brand of country music with the world.
|
|
