Early Life
Murphy was born on December 19, 1952, in New York City, New York, and grew up in Manhattan. At age four, he attended music lessons hosted by Rosa Rio, studying an array of instruments, including the organ and piano. Rio frequently opted for him to star in television advertisements for the Hammond organ. Murphy studied classical piano and attended Mount Saint Michael Academy, where he studied jazz and played a number of his own compositions. Referring to his studies, Murphy stated "There never was a time when I wasn't studying music." Against the objections of his father, who was a real estate agent and wished to pass down his business to his son, Murphy enrolled in the Manhattan School of Music in 1970; recalling his experiences with his father, Murphy stated "He wanted me to be a doctor or lawyer—or something you can depend on." During the year, Murphy married his wife Laurie, who worked in the plastics industry.
While attending the institution, he wrote for the jazz ensemble. During an appointment with Bobby Rosengarden, bandleader of the Dick Cavett Show orchestra, Murphy convinced the group to play some of his arrangements when he found Rosengarden to be absent. Looking back on the situation, he stated "I still can't believe I did it. I'm not a very forward person." Since the band "wasn't very busy," they performed his arrangements live and enjoyed them, convincing Murphy to write more. In April 1972, a fellow student from the Manhattan School of Music introduced Murphy to Doc Severinsen, musical director of The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson; he presented his arrangements to Severinsen, who liked them enough to have The Tonight Show Band play them live; however, The Tonight Show moved production to Burbank, California a year later, much to Murphy's disappointment. From 1974 to 1976, he also wrote jingle music for a variety of fashion brands, including Lady Arrow shirts as well as Revlon and Woolworth's, as well as arrangements for the popular television series Big Blue Marble.
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