Ralph murphy
Encyclopedia
Ralph Murphy is a British
-born Canadian
musician
, record producer
, and songwriter
.
, England
during World War II
. At the age of six, Murphy emigrated to Canada
with his mother. An avid lover of music, Murphy taught himself to play guitar
and began playing gigs in Wallaceburg, Ontario
at the age of 14. At 17 he moved between Los Angeles
and New York
making his way in the music business.
At 19, Murphy moved to London
, signed a record deal with Pye Records
and released two singles with Jack Klaysen as The Guardsmen. The Guardsmen then changed their name to the Slade Brothers and released an additional two singles. The Slade Brothers opened up for famous headlining acts, such as The Kinks
, The Troggs
, Martha and the Vandellas
, The Byrds
, and The Walker Brothers
.
, Fontana
, Carnaby, Decca
, Other hits included Billy Fury
's "Beyond a Shadow of a Doubt" and the Casuals
"Touched". In 1967, Murphy joined the group Harper and Rowe. The following year, he became Raffi Murphy in the group The High Windows.
In 1969, Murphy moved to New York
and produced albums for several groups, including, but not limited to, April Wine
, Mashmakhan
, Shooter, Brutus
, Sea Dog, Chris Bartley
, and the Rock Garden.
titled "Good Enough to be Your Wife" which gave Murphy his first introduction to Nashville. In 1978, Murphy moved to Nashville
and began a joint venture publishing/production company with Roger Cook
called PICALIC. The company achieved its first number one hit within a year with a song by Crystal Gayle
called "Talking in Your Sleep
", written by Bobby Wood and Roger Cook. In 1978, Murphy cowrote "Half the Way" with Bobby Wood, which was cut by Crystal Gayle and became a number one hit. In 1980 Murphy cowrote "He Got You
" with Bobby Wood, which was cut by Ronnie Milsap
and also became a number one hit. Murphys' most recent success as "21st Century Christmas", cowritten with Paul Brady and cut by Cliff Richard
which made it to number 2 on the UK charts. Other artists that have cut Murphy's songs include Randy Travis
, Ray Price
, Don Williams
, Kathy Mattea
, Little Texas
, Shania Twain
, Brotherhood of Man
, Vanity Fair, and many more.
Murphy has worked with ASCAP for the past 14 years to facilitate workshops for songwriters, and help protect songwriters rights. He is the author of the noted Murphy's Laws of Songwriting, which he has posted to his website to help aspiring writers obtain success in their own careers, and has recently released an album of his previously recorded hits and also several of his own favorite previously uncut songs.
, currently serves on the board of the Canadian Country Music Association. Currently a member of the Songwriters Association of Canada and the Songwriter's Guild of America. He is a former president of the Nashville Songwriter's Association, and a former President of the Nashville Chapter of the National Academy of the Recording Arts and Sciences and former Trustee of NARAS.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
-born Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
, record producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
, and songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
.
Early life and career
Murphy was born in Saffron WaldenSaffron Walden
Saffron Walden is a medium-sized market town in the Uttlesford district of Essex, England. It is located north of Bishop's Stortford, south of Cambridge and approx north of London...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. At the age of six, Murphy emigrated to Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
with his mother. An avid lover of music, Murphy taught himself to play guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
and began playing gigs in Wallaceburg, Ontario
Wallaceburg, Ontario
Wallaceburg is an unincorporated community and town located in the municipality of Chatham-Kent in Southern Ontario, Canada. Originally a small settlement, it was recognized for its significant contribution to the lumber and boat building industries and strategic location along the banks of the...
at the age of 14. At 17 he moved between Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
and New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
making his way in the music business.
At 19, Murphy moved to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, signed a record deal with Pye Records
Pye Records
Pye Records was a British record label. In its first incarnation, perhaps Pye's best known artists were Lonnie Donegan , Petula Clark , The Searchers , The Kinks , Sandie Shaw and Brotherhood of Man...
and released two singles with Jack Klaysen as The Guardsmen. The Guardsmen then changed their name to the Slade Brothers and released an additional two singles. The Slade Brothers opened up for famous headlining acts, such as The Kinks
The Kinks
The Kinks were an English rock band formed in Muswell Hill, North London, by brothers Ray and Dave Davies in 1964. Categorised in the United States as a British Invasion band, The Kinks are recognised as one of the most important and influential rock acts of the era. Their music was influenced by a...
, The Troggs
The Troggs
The Troggs are an English rock band from the 1960s that had a number of hits in UK and the US. Their most famous songs include, "Wild Thing", "With a Girl Like You", and "Love Is All Around"...
, Martha and the Vandellas
Martha and the Vandellas
Martha and the Vandellas were among the most successful groups of the Motown roster during the period 1963–1967...
, The Byrds
The Byrds
The Byrds were an American rock band, formed in Los Angeles, California in 1964. The band underwent multiple line-up changes throughout its existence, with frontman Roger McGuinn remaining the sole consistent member until the group disbanded in 1973...
, and The Walker Brothers
The Walker Brothers
The Walker Brothers were an American 1960s and 1970s pop group, comprising Scott Engel , John Walker , and Gary Leeds...
.
Producing career
Murphy signed his first publishing deal with Mills Music in 1965. He had his first big hit with James Royal's "Call My Name" in 1966. Murphy started producing records in 1966 for CBSCBS Records
CBS Records is a record label founded by CBS Corporation in 2006 to take advantage of music from its entertainment properties owned by CBS Television Studios. The initial label roster consisted of only three artists; rock band Señor Happy and singer/songwriters Will Dailey and P.J...
, Fontana
Fontana Records
Fontana Records is a record label which was started in the 1950s as a subsidiary of the Dutch Philips Records; when Philips restructured its music operations it dropped Fontana in favor of Vertigo Records. In the seventies PolyGram acquired the dormant label....
, Carnaby, Decca
Decca Records
Decca Records began as a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis. Its U.S. label was established in late 1934; however, owing to World War II, the link with the British company was broken for several decades....
, Other hits included Billy Fury
Billy Fury
Billy Fury, born Ronald William Wycherley , was an internationally successful English singer from the late-1950s to the mid-1960s, and remained an active songwriter until the 1980s. Rheumatic fever, which he first contracted as a child, damaged his heart and ultimately contributed to his death...
's "Beyond a Shadow of a Doubt" and the Casuals
The Casuals
The Casuals were a British pop group from Lincoln, Lincolnshire, England. They are best known for their 1968 #2 UK hit, "Jesamine".-Career:Originally formed by John Tebb and Howard Newcombe , they added Don Fortune and Zenon Kawolski , and became The Casuals in 1961...
"Touched". In 1967, Murphy joined the group Harper and Rowe. The following year, he became Raffi Murphy in the group The High Windows.
In 1969, Murphy moved to New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
and produced albums for several groups, including, but not limited to, April Wine
April Wine
April Wine is a Canadian rock band formed in 1969. According to the band, they chose the name 'April Wine' simply because members thought the two words sounded good together...
, Mashmakhan
Mashmakhan
Mashmakhan was a Canadian rock fusion band that was most active in the early 1970s, and is best known for their hit single "As the Years Go By."-History:...
, Shooter, Brutus
Brutus (Canadian band)
Brutus was a Canadian rock band formed in 1969 and active, with interruptions, between 1969 and 1978.-History:The original band consisted of Walter Zwolinski as vocalist, Tom Wilson as bassist, Michael Magann on trumpet, Lance Wright on drums, Sonny Wingay on guitar, and Bill Robb on sax and...
, Sea Dog, Chris Bartley
Chris Bartley
Chris Bartley was an American R&B singer. Bartley grew up listening to '50s soul and doo wop, and formed his own group in the early 1960s with William Graham, Henry Powell, Sam Nesbitt, and Ronald Marshall...
, and the Rock Garden.
Songwriting
In 1971, Murphy had a number two country hit with Jeannie C. RileyJeannie C. Riley
Jeannie C. Riley is an American country music and gospel singer. She is best known for her 1968 country and pop hit "Harper Valley PTA" , which missed becoming the Billboard Country and Pop number one hit at the same time...
titled "Good Enough to be Your Wife" which gave Murphy his first introduction to Nashville. In 1978, Murphy moved to Nashville
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
and began a joint venture publishing/production company with Roger Cook
Roger Cook (songwriter)
Roger Cook is an English songwriter who has written many hits for other recording artists. He has also had a successful recording career in his own right.-Early life:Cook was born in Fishponds, Bristol, England...
called PICALIC. The company achieved its first number one hit within a year with a song by Crystal Gayle
Crystal Gayle
Crystal Gayle is an American country music singer best known for her 1977 country-pop hit, "Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue". An award-winning singer, she accumulated 18 number one country hits during the 1970s and 1980s...
called "Talking in Your Sleep
Talking in Your Sleep (Crystal Gayle song)
"Talking in Your Sleep" is a song written by Roger Cook and Bobby Wood, that was the second single released by Country-Pop crossover singer, Crystal Gayle, to become a hit on both the country and pop charts. It was a hit in 1978...
", written by Bobby Wood and Roger Cook. In 1978, Murphy cowrote "Half the Way" with Bobby Wood, which was cut by Crystal Gayle and became a number one hit. In 1980 Murphy cowrote "He Got You
He Got You
- Success & Reception :His 32nd single to be released, the song also became his 20th No.1 hit on the country charts. It was a major hit on the Adult Contemporary charts as well, peaking at No. 15. It also had minor success on the pop charts, stopping at No. 59. The song is one of Milsap's most...
" with Bobby Wood, which was cut by Ronnie Milsap
Ronnie Milsap
Ronnie Lee Milsap is an American country music singer and pianist. He was one of country’s most popular and influential performers of the 1970s and 1980s...
and also became a number one hit. Murphys' most recent success as "21st Century Christmas", cowritten with Paul Brady and cut by Cliff Richard
Cliff Richard
Sir Cliff Richard, OBE is a British pop singer, musician, performer, actor, and philanthropist who has sold over an estimated 250 million records worldwide....
which made it to number 2 on the UK charts. Other artists that have cut Murphy's songs include Randy Travis
Randy Travis
Randy Travis is an American country music singer and actor. Since 1985, he has recorded 20 studio albums and charted more than 30 singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts, 22 of which were number one hits...
, Ray Price
Ray Price (musician)
Ray Price is an American country music singer, songwriter and guitarist. His wide-ranging baritone has often been praised as among the best male voices of country music...
, Don Williams
Don Williams
Don Williams , is an American country singer, songwriter and a 2010 inductee to the Country Music Hall of Fame. He grew up in Portland, Texas, and graduated in 1958 from Gregory-Portland High School. After seven years with the folk-pop group Pozo-Seco Singers, he began his solo career in 1971,...
, Kathy Mattea
Kathy Mattea
Kathleen Alice "Kathy" Mattea is an American country music and bluegrass performer who often brings folk, Celtic and traditional country sounds to her music. Active since 1983 as a recording artist, she has recorded seventeen albums and has charted more than thirty singles on the Billboard Hot...
, Little Texas
Little Texas
Little Texas is an American country music band founded in Nashville, Tennessee, in 1988 by Tim Rushlow , Brady Seals , Del Gray , Porter Howell , Dwayne O'Brien , and Duane Propes . Signed to Warner Bros...
, Shania Twain
Shania Twain
Shania Twain, OC is a Canadian country pop singer-songwriter. Her album The Woman in Me , brought her fame and her 1997 album Come On Over, became the best-selling album of all time by a female musician in any genre, and the best-selling country album of all time. It has sold over 40 million...
, Brotherhood of Man
Brotherhood of Man
Brotherhood of Man are a British pop group who achieved success in the 1970s, most notably by winning the 1976 Eurovision Song Contest with "Save Your Kisses for Me"....
, Vanity Fair, and many more.
Murphy has worked with ASCAP for the past 14 years to facilitate workshops for songwriters, and help protect songwriters rights. He is the author of the noted Murphy's Laws of Songwriting, which he has posted to his website to help aspiring writers obtain success in their own careers, and has recently released an album of his previously recorded hits and also several of his own favorite previously uncut songs.
Other affiliations
Murphy is a member of the Country Music AssociationCountry Music Association
The Country Music Association was founded in 1958 in Nashville, Tennessee. It originally consisted of only 233 members and was the first trade organization formed to promote a music genre...
, currently serves on the board of the Canadian Country Music Association. Currently a member of the Songwriters Association of Canada and the Songwriter's Guild of America. He is a former president of the Nashville Songwriter's Association, and a former President of the Nashville Chapter of the National Academy of the Recording Arts and Sciences and former Trustee of NARAS.