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Shaun Murphy
Fotograf: Wikimedia-bruker "Biographyman" (CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons)
Modern

Shaun Murphy

Born: May 6, 1948, Omaha, Nebraska• United States• Active: 1969–present

The voice behind Bob Seger, Eric Clapton and Little Feat, fronting her own blues band since 2009.

Shaun Murphy has spent more than fifty years as one of the most in-demand voices in American rock and blues — always singing lead somewhere, rarely the household name the resume deserves. She was born May 6, 1948, in Omaha, Nebraska, and grew up partly in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, before relocating to Detroit after high school, where she sharpened her voice on the city's blues and soul club circuit (Kilde: Wikipedia). She stepped onto a blues stage for the first time at the inaugural Ann Arbor Blues Festival in 1969, sharing bills with Detroit bands including Wilson Mower Pursuit (Kilde: Wikipedia). In 1971 she was signed to Motown's Rare Earth Records as one half of "Stoney and Meat Loaf" with future rock star Meat Loaf, after the two had appeared together in a Detroit production of "Hair" (Kilde: Wikipedia). From 1973 she began working with Bob Seger, becoming a fixture of his touring band from 1978 onward and singing on his 1975 hit album "Beautiful Loser," including the track "Katmandu" (Kilde: Jefferson Blues Magazine / Wikipedia). In 1985 she moved to Los Angeles and joined Eric Clapton's band, singing background vocals on four tracks of his album "Behind the Sun" and touring with him, including a performance at Live Aid on July 13, 1985 (Kilde: Jefferson Blues Magazine / Wikipedia). In 1993 she became a full-time member of Little Feat, sharing lead vocals with Bill Payne and Paul Barrere for sixteen years until 2009, and co-writing songs including "Bed of Roses" and "Tattoo Heart"; she returned as a guest to record "Wang Dang Doodle" with the band in 2024 (Kilde: Jefferson Blues Magazine). Since leaving Little Feat she has released a steady string of solo albums fronting the Shaun Murphy Band — "Livin' the Blues" (2009), "The Trouble with Lovin'" (2010), "Ask for the Moon" (2012, nominated for three Grammy Awards and winner of two Blues Blast Music Awards), "Cry of Love" (2013), "Loretta" (2015), "Mighty Gates" (2017), "I'm Coming Home" (2023) and her twelfth solo album, "Brand New Blues" (2026), released on her own label, Vision Wall Records (Kilde: Wikipedia / Jefferson Blues Magazine). Along the way she has also sung with the Moody Blues, Herbie Hancock, Phil Collins, Glenn Frey, Joe Walsh, Maria Muldaur, Bruce Hornsby, Michael Bolton, Coco Montoya and Alice Cooper (Kilde: Wikipedia).

Musical Influence

Murphy's influence is less about a signature sound copied by others and more about her role as one of the connective threads running through five decades of American rock and blues — the same voice heard behind Bob Seger, Eric Clapton, Little Feat, the Moody Blues and Alice Cooper is also the one carrying a dozen solo blues albums under her own name. Her 2012 album "Ask for the Moon" earned three Grammy nominations and two Blues Blast Music Awards, and the Central Iowa Blues Society recognizes her among its Iowa Blues Hall of Fame honorees (Kilde: Central Iowa Blues Society / Wikipedia).

Formative experiences

  • •1948: Born in Omaha, Nebraska. (Kilde: Wikipedia)
  • •1969: Blues stage debut at the first Ann Arbor Blues Festival. (Kilde: Wikipedia)
  • •1971: Signed to Rare Earth/Motown as "Stoney and Meat Loaf". (Kilde: Wikipedia)
  • •1973: Began working with Bob Seger. (Kilde: Wikipedia)
  • •1985: Joined Eric Clapton's band; performed at Live Aid. (Kilde: Jefferson Blues Magazine / Wikipedia)
  • •1993: Became a full-time member of Little Feat. (Kilde: Jefferson Blues Magazine)
  • •2009: Left Little Feat; launched solo career with "Livin' the Blues". (Kilde: Wikipedia)
  • •2012: Three Grammy nominations for "Ask for the Moon". (Kilde: Wikipedia)
  • •2026: Released twelfth solo album, "Brand New Blues". (Kilde: Jefferson Blues Magazine)

Instruments & Equipment

Stories & Anecdotes

"Appeared in a Detroit stage production of "Hair" alongside future rock star Meat Loaf, which led to their short-lived Motown duo "Stoney and Meat Loaf" in 1971. (Kilde: Wikipedia)"
"Sang background vocals for Eric Clapton and performed with his band at Live Aid on July 13, 1985. (Kilde: Jefferson Blues Magazine / Wikipedia)"

Collaborators

Bob Seger

Toured and recorded with him from 1973, including "Katmandu" on Beautiful Loser (1975).

Eric Clapton

Background vocals on Behind the Sun (1985); toured with his band, including Live Aid.

Little Feat

Full-time member 1993-2009, sharing lead vocals with Bill Payne and Paul Barrere.

Meat Loaf

Motown duo "Stoney and Meat Loaf" in 1971.

Watch & Listen

Featured

Shaun Murphy - Reason To Try

Official channel performance video.

ShaunMurphyBand (official)

Watch & Listen

Henter videoer fra YouTube…

Discography

YearTitleProducerStudioLabelChartSalesMusiciansYouTubeNotes
2009Livin the Blues—Shaun Murphy Band———Solo debut after leaving Little Feat.
2010The Trouble with Lovin—Shaun Murphy Band———
2011Live at Callahans—Shaun Murphy Band———Live DVD/album recorded at Callahan's Music Hall, Auburn Hills, Michigan.
2012Ask for the Moon—Shaun Murphy Band———Nominated for three Grammy Awards; won two Blues Blast Music Awards.
2013Cry of Love—Shaun Murphy Band———
2015Loretta—Shaun Murphy Band———
2017Mighty Gates—Shaun Murphy Band———
2023Im Coming Home—Shaun Murphy Band———
2026Brand New Blues—Vision Wall Records———Twelfth solo album.

External links

YouTube Music Official site Wikipedia

Booking / Contact

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Sources

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