Michael Martin Murphey - Bluegrass Years

Bluegrass Years

In February 2009, Murphey released Buckaroo Blue Grass, which marked a return to his bluegrass musical roots. Murphey's love of Bluegrass music dates back to when he sang lead vocals with the Earl Scruggs Band. Over the years, Murphey's songs have been recorded by Bluegrass artists such as Flatt and Scruggs, Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver, the Country Gentlemen, and the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. On Buckaroo Bluegrass, Murphey offers new versions of his famous Bluegrass songs, such as "Carolina in the Pines", "Fiddlin' Man", "Lost River", and "What Am I Doing Hanging Around". Murphey also includes new Bluegrass versions of several of his classics, such as "Boy from the Country", "Dancing in the Meadow", and "Healing Spring". The album includes two new songs, "Close to the Land", the theme song of the PBS documentary television series America's Heartland, and "Lone Cowboy", a song that reflects Murphey's experiences as a solo artist performing throughout the West at music festivals, cowboy gatherings, historical theaters, and trail rides. Murphey has always used Bluegrass musicians on his records—people like Ricky Skaggs, John McEuen, Jerry Douglas, and Mark O'Conner. For Buckaroo Bluegrass, Murphey added Ronnie McCoury, Charlie Cushman, Rob Ickes, Andy Leftwich, and Rhonda Vincent to this roster of top Bluegrass players. Michael's son, Ryan Murphey, produced the album, and added acoustic guitar and vocals.

In February 2010, Murphey released a followup album, Buckaroo Blue Grass II – Riding Song, which follows the production approach of the first album. This album contains fully acoustic Bluegrass versions of songs about the region to which Murphey has been deeply connected throughout his life, the American Southwest. Backed by an impressive list of Bluegrass veterans such as Carrie Hassler, Audie Blaylock, Sam Bush, Andy Hall, Ronnie McCoury, Pat Flynn, Charlie Cushman, Andy Leftwich, Murphey delivers Bluegrass versions of songs mainly from his early-to-mid 1970s albums. Ryan Murphey's production and Bluegrass arrangements breath new life into songs like "Blue Sky Riding Song", "Backslider's Wine", "Southwestern Pilgrimage", "Cosmic Cowboy", "Wildfire", "Renegade", and "Swans Against the Sun".

In May 2011, Murphey gave a benefit concert at the Prairie Rose Chuckwagon Supper near Benton, Kansas to help save the cabin where Brewster Higley wrote the song "Home on the Range", Kansas' state song. "He might have been living anywhere," Murphey noted, "but he was inspired by that place. This song gives focus to the heritage of the American West, to the prairie and its songs, poems and literature." Murphey made his first pilgrimage to the cabin prior to the concert, where he performed the song.

In June 2011, Murphey released Tall Grass & Cool Water, subtitled Cowboy Songs VI and Buckaroo Blue Grass III, which contains some of Western music's all-time classics. Backed again by a roster of top Bluegrass musicians and his son's solid production, Murphey delivers an inspired album that moves effortlessly between Bluegrass and Cowboy music. The CD includes two classics from the Sons of the Pioneers, "Cool Water" and "Way Out There", as well as other Western classics such as "Texas Cowboy", "Santa Fe Trail", and "The James Gang Trilogy". Murphey closes out the album with a beautiful duet with Carin Mari, "Springtime in the Rockies".

On September 4, 2011, Murphey performed at the wedding of long-time friend David Lauren and Lauren Bush, the niece of former President George W. Bush, at Ralph Lauren's Double RL Ranch near Ridgeway, Colorado. The event was called "America's Royal Wedding". Murphey, who helped Ralph Lauren find the ranch they now call home, has been friends with the Lauren family for nearly 30 years. "I go there to write songs from time to time," Murphey noted, "It's the most spectacular ranch in the Rockies." At David Lauren's request, Murphey performed "Vanishing Breed" for the couple's first dance. Murphey wrote the song at a cabin on the Lauren ranch in the 1980s. Murphey and his Rio Grande Band played nearly six hours for the Lauren and Bush families.

In January 2012, Tall Grass & Cool Water became the number 1 album on the Top 20 Western Music Albums Chart of the Western Music Association.