Saturday, May 31, 2014

Taos welcomes back Michael Martin Murphey

In case you didn’t know, Michael Martin Murphey has been performing up in Red River from time to time, something he said he figured folks in Taos would cop to. But, it turns out the 35 minute or so drive is a little much even for Taoseños who think nothing of driving to Santa Fe for a quick stop at Trader Joe’s or something. Then, his son Brennan Murphey (who works in the advertising department of The Taos News) asked him one day, “Dad, when was the last time you played in Taos?” Murph thought about it and it turns out it’s been about 11 years since he’s done a full-fledged concert here. The ball was rolling and now Murphey and his famous Rio Grande Band are set to play a concert featuring selections from his latest album “Red River Drifter,” along with favorites from his 50-year-plus career Saturday (May 31), 7 p.m., at Taos Mesa Brewing, 20 ABC Mesa Road, off U.S. 64 west. One of the regulars in his band is also well-known to Taos fans, Gary Roller, a fine artist who also happens to be opening an art exhibit of his own work (see Page 24 in Tempo's print edition) the same day of Murphey’s concert. Another is Sean Richardson, who is the 18-year-old multi-instrumentalist nephew of Carmen Acciaoli of Michael Hearne’s South by Southwest fame. He will be performing in place of Murph’s son Ryan, and is “absolutely a whiz … plus, he’s got perfect pitch.” Murph, at 69, isn’t exactly slowing down, but he seems to be at a point that he can surround himself with extremely talented musicians that represent a new generation following in his footsteps as the nation’s “number one cowboy singer.” “At my age and at this point in my life, to get all that stuff archived (is great), because it’s been a long, good run and I don’t want to lose any of that stuff,” he said...more

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