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Heather Murphy
A Twin Cities transplant by way of the west coast, singer-songwriter Heather Murphy
deeply touches her listeners with songs about hope, compassion, healing, connection
and revival of community. Inspiration for her songs comes from personal experiences
– her search for a soulmate, a friends’ ocean-side wedding, the destruction
of the earth, her spiritual quest to find home and a tenderhearted friend in need.
John Gronquist of KFAI radio’s Urban Folk show says, "Her enchantingly
lovely voice delivers a message of community ... a community I would like to live
in!"
As a performer, Heather Murphy is authentic, thought provoking, and approachable.
One listener says, “When Heather Murphy sings, her voice takes on an ethereal
quality, transcendent yet root-deep … At once vulnerable and strong, she
gets on stage and meets the world with her heart, and that's enough to move
mountains. No wonder it moves me to tears.”
Heather’s exploration of songwriting has been a natural evolution. She
was born into a musical family - singing along while her dad played folk tunes
on the guitar and absorbing harmonies at the music parties in her home state
of Ohio. During those early years, Heather learned the guitar by playing and
singing the songs of Cat Stevens, John Denver, CSNY, Bonnie Raitt, Joni Mitchell,
The Beatles, and others. She continued to be inspired by artists such as The
Indigo Girls, Melissa Ethridge, Michelle Shocked, Ani Di Franco, Emmy Lou Harris,
Dar Williams, Iris Dement and Catie Curtis. In 1994, after moving to Minnesota,
Heather put down her guitar vowing not play again until she had written her
own songs. After a year of soul searching and spiritual growth, she produced
her first song and has never looked back. A move to the mountains of Northern
California and then to the coast of Washington State further fueled her inspiration.
Since returning to Minnesota in 1998, Heather has continued to write and share
her songs with audiences at various venues in the Pacific Northwest and the
Midwest. Her 14-song solo debut CD, Another Way, was independently released
in January of 2002 and skillfully showcases her gifts as a singer-songwriter
with powerful insight and soaring vocals. Backed by her own earthy, rhythmic,
acoustic guitar playing, Murphy’s songs are further enhanced on this CD
by a talented group of Twin Cities musicians on mandolin, violin/viola, pedal
steel guitar, piccolo, harmonica and more.
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