Bobby Murray (musician)

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Bobby Murray
Born (1953-06-09) June 9, 1953 (age 68)
Nagoya, Japan
GenresElectric blues[1]
Occupation(s)Guitarist, songwriter, record producer
InstrumentsGuitar
Years active1970s–present
LabelsViceroots Records, No Cover Productions, motorcitykidz

Bobby Murray (born June 9, 1953) is an American electric blues guitarist, songwriter and record producer who has played in Etta James' backing band for twenty three years, performed on three Grammy Award winning recordings with James and B.B. King and released four solo albums. In 2011, the Detroit Blues Society granted Murray their Lifetime Achievement Award. Murray currently leads his own band in Metro Detroit and has won several Detroit Music Awards. His latest solo recording, I'm Sticking With You, was released in 2013.

His guitar playing was mainly influenced by Albert Collins and B.B. King. Murray currently resides in White Lake, Michigan, United States.[2]

Life and career[]

Murray was born on a US Air Force base in Nagoya, Japan to a Japanese mother and an Irish father.[1][2] Growing up in a military family, he was later raised in Tacoma, Washington.[3] Murray attended the same high school as Robert Cray and they engaged Albert Collins to play at the school's graduation party.[1]

Murray started his musical career playing in blues clubs in the San Francisco Bay Area,[1] having originally formed an ensemble that became Robert Cray and the Crayolas.[2] Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Murray supplied guitar backing for Frankie Lee, Sonny Rhodes, Mark Naftalin, and many others. He performed frequently with Albert Collins, Charlie Musselwhite, Otis Rush, Jimmy Witherspoon and John Lee Hooker.[1][3] In 1988, Murray joined Etta James' backing ensemble, the Roots Band,[1] performing with James for over 20 years.[2] He also played and/or recorded with Albert King, Johnny "Guitar" Watson, Taj Mahal, Percy Mayfield, Sugar Pie DeSanto and Lowell Fulson.[2]

He appeared on B.B. King's Grammy Award-winning album, Blues Summit, reuniting with Robert Cray on the track, "Playing With My Friends."[1] Murray also played guitar on James' Grammy winning recordings, Let's Roll and Blues to the Bone.[3] Murray's definitive style is heard on the Etta James song, "Blues is My Business" in an episode of television drama series, The Sopranos.[2]

Murray performed with James' Roots Band on other television programs such as The Tonight Show, Austin City Limits and Late Night with David Letterman. Murray also played at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain, the WOMAD Festival and the inaugural celebration for President Bill Clinton. [2]

Murray's debut album, The Blues is Now (1996), featured Frankie Lee and Freddie Hughes on vocals.[1][4] The Allmusic journalist, Thom Owens, commented about Murray's work on the recording, "he's a fine guitarist, as he proves here, turning out jazzy, classy solos that separate him from the rest of the crowd."[4] In 1999, the follow-up album, Waiting for Mr. Goodfingers..., was issued by No Cover Productions.[5] A live album, Live & Lowdown! was released in May 2006.[6]

In May 2010, the Bobby Murray Band played at the Scarab Club in Detroit, Michigan.[7]

In 2011 Murray received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Detroit Blues Society. Murray also received Detroit Music Awards in the Outstanding Instrumentalist (Blues) and Outstanding Blues Performer/Group categories.[8]

Murray's latest project, Love Letters From Detroit, opens with a soulful original he wrote and dedicated to James. Murray intends to release additional work under the "Love Letters..." moniker in the future. An hour-long documentary about Murray's project was produced and released by NPR affiliate WKAR and broadcast nationally. First conceived as a show to honor and celebrate Murray's years with Etta James, the revue became an annual event with sold-out performances at clubs and festivals in Michigan. While Love Letters From Detroit originally featured songs made famous by James, Murray includes original songs in the 2021 release, engineered and co-produced by guitarist Josh Ford. Murray's lineup includes vocalists Tosha Owens, Lenny Watkins, Barbara Payton, Jay Jolley, Raye Williams, and Greg Nagy. The band features keyboardists Dale Grisa and Mark LoDuca, drummer Renell Gonsalves, bassists David Uricek and John Barron, guitarist Kris Kurzawa, and The Woodward Horns.

Discography[]

Albums[]

Year Title Record label
1996 The Blues is Now Viceroots Records
1999 Waiting for Mr. Goodfingers... No Cover Productions
2006 Live & Lowdown! No Cover Productions
2013 I'm Sticking With You Motorcitykidz Productions

[9]

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h Richard Skelly. "Bobby Murray". AllMusic. Retrieved December 20, 2011.
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g Joe Ballor (January 20, 2011). "Blues musicians Bobby Murray, Willie D. Warren honored". Dailytribune.com. Retrieved December 20, 2011.
  3. ^ Jump up to: a b c "Bobby Murray's All-Star Review". Takezomusic.com. Retrieved December 20, 2011.
  4. ^ Jump up to: a b "The Blues is Now > Bobby Murray > Overview". AllMusic. Retrieved December 20, 2011.
  5. ^ "Waiting for Mr. Goodfingers... > Bobby Murray > Overview". AllMusic. Retrieved December 20, 2011.
  6. ^ "Live & Lowdown! > Bobby Murray > Overview". AllMusic. Retrieved December 20, 2011.
  7. ^ "Scarab Club Detroit Blues Heritage Series - Event 2, Featuring the Bobby Murray Band, May 22, 2010". Crossharpchronicles.wordpress.com. Retrieved December 20, 2011.
  8. ^ "Bobby Murray Presents the Music of Etta James - Michigan BluesFest". Oldtownbluesfest.com. Retrieved 27 December 2018.
  9. ^ "Bobby Murray > Discography > Main Albums". Allmusic. Retrieved December 20, 2011.
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