For 25 years, and with no sign of slowing, violinist Chris Murphy has made a living by writing, performing and recording original music. For Murphy, the path forward is charted by looking backwards, at the troubadours and minstrels of ages past. Born into an Irish-Italian family near New York City, Murphy was surrounded by the disparate and eclectic sounds of his neighbours’ traditional music. “I heard and was influenced by everything – from Italian-mandolin music to bluegrass and folk, to Latin music,” he says. Inevitably, he discovered rock ‘n’ roll, claiming still further influence from some of rock’s most adventurous and eclectic icons: Lou Reed and Ry Cooder, Bob Dylan and Richard Thompson. But it was when hearing David Lindley playing the violin with Jackson Browne that he realised where his path lay.
As ever, Murphy re-forges the past to make a new way. He has performed in more than 40 states in the USA, England, Ireland, and The Netherlands.
Chris Murphy prides himself on being a flexible musician, one able to deliver spirited, punk-infused Celtic folk as easily as he does ambient cinematic soundscapes, and as at home carrying the show as a solo player as he is leading a band.
What never changes is the showmanship and charisma on display and if you find yourself at one of his shows, no matter what the format, you are guaranteed a night of unique, infectious and thoroughly rewarding music.
Chris Murphy is back in the UK in June 2022 for a month-long tour taking in intimate gigs and large festivals, lively pub gigs and seated art centres, workshops, support slots and everything in between. The last time he hit those shores he felt like a discerning music lover’s best-kept secret, this time around it would seem that the secret is out!
