Shaun Murphy (singer)
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| Shaun Murphy | |
|---|---|
 November 5, 2011 |
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Cheryl Murphy |
| Also known as | Stoney |
| Born | Omaha, Nebraska, United States |
| Genres | Rock, blue-eyed soul, Blues |
| Occupations | Singer |
| Years active | 1969–present |
| Labels | Motown |
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Contents |
[edit] Intro
Shaun Murphy, ( born Cheryl Murphy in The State of Nebraska, USA ), is an American R&B singer songwriter, best known for her powerhouse singing style. Her recording career started in 1971 with Motown Records and continues to this day.
[edit] Biography Highlights
Murphy moved to Detroit, Michigan as a teenager, singing in venues such as Detroit's historic Grande Ballroom and was noticed by an employee of Motown in a touring theater production along with Texas native Meat Loaf. The two were signed by Rare Earth Records, a division of Motown Records as Stoney and Meatloaf in 1971. The pairing was short-lived, and became defunct, as a decision of Motown management. Only Murphy was retained under contract after the breakup of the duo. 'Stoney' also recorded with the group 'Broadway' for a short period and worked with Skip 'Knape' Van Winkle of Teegarden & Van Winkle that also featured a pre-RCA Victor recording artist Dan Schafer on guitar and vocals.
After a period of inactivity with the new division of Motown in Los Angeles, she made a decision to leave Motown, due to corporate changes within the company, and contacted Punch Andrews for possible opportunities back in her high school home town of Detroit. Murphy then relocated back to Detroit, to work with Bob Seger, in 1973, with The Borneo Band. Murphy had worked with Seger previously in his very early years prior to his later notoriety. Murphy has worked with Seger on most all studio session work since 1973, and has toured with Seger since 1978.
She returned again to live in Los Angeles in 1985 to work with Eric Clapton on his Behind the Sun album. Murphy was then offered a position by Clapton as a member of his band to do the entire tour after hearing her vocal style. The Behind The Sun tour was featured at the first Live Aid concert in 1985.
Murphy's career in vocals has been both as lead singer, and as a Session musician throughout her many years in the music industry. She has sung, toured, and recorded with such acts as The Moody Blues, Bob Seger, Herbie Hancock, Phil Collins, Glenn Frey, Joe Walsh, Maria Muldaur, Bruce Hornsby, Michael Bolton, J.J. Cale, Coco Montoya. and Alice Cooper, in addition to Broadway theater, in national road companies in two popular rock musicals, "Hair" and "Sgt. Pepper's".
In September 1993, Murphy joined the highly acclaimed band Little Feat, hired as a lead singer replacing Craig Fuller. Murphy is quoted as saying that she took no one's place, nor would she, as a lead singer with Little Feat. Murphy left the band at the end of February 2009, after 16 years' tenure and over 1,400 live appearances.
She is now pursuing her blues and soul solo projects:
In September 2009 she released the album Livin' The Blues. A second album, The Trouble With Lovin', followed in 2010. Late in 2011, Murphy released a DVD and live album both titled "Shaun Murphy Live at Callahan's", recorded at Callahan's Music Hall, Auburn Hills, Michigan, just outside of Detroit.
She continues to work with Bob Seger, as she did in 2011/2012, for Seger's "final tour".
[edit] Other entries
- The Shaun Murphy Band - Livin' The Blues' (2009)
