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Michael was educated at W.H.Adamson High School, Dallas, Texas, North Texas State U., Denton,Texas, and U.C.L.A., Westwood,California. His academic interests centered around Creative Writing, History, Ethnomusicology, Folklore, and Classical Studies.

Michael learned to play music on a plastic ukelele that was a gift from his grandfather, "Spud" Murphey, a career Navy officer who lived in Hawaii most of his life. "Spud" gave Michael a guitar when he was 13 years old, a Martin D-28 that became Michael's favorite instrument for writing songs and performing. Michael played music for service clubs, church gatherings, folk music coffee- house venues( his first professional venue was called"The Rubiayat", on McKinney Ave. in Dallas, Texas) ranches, and youth camps. He had his own local music television show by age 16, and his own coffee house nightclub, called The Windjammer Inn, by age 18. In his teen years and early twenties, Michael also played worked and played cowboy music around the campfires for guests at Sky Ranch in Lewisville, Texas, and Hidden Falls Ranch, near Amarillo.

When Michael left North Texas to attend U.C. L.A., he became one of the instigators of the Alternative Country and Western scene in Southern California. His friends in the same music scene included John McEuen and Jeff Hannah of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Don Henley of the Eagles, Linda Ronstadt, Roger Miller, Buck Owens, Michael Nesmith of the Monkees, and many others.

Michael left his home in the San Gabriel Mountains of California for the Hill Country of Austin,Texas. He was the man who sparked the music scence in Austin, Texas to gain a national reputaion, inspiring Willie Nelson and Jerry Jeff Walker to move there. His first album, Geronimos'Caddilac was recognized by Rolling Stone as a classic, when Chet Flippo pronounced him "the best new singer- songwriter in America.

Birthplace- Dallas, TX

Hometown- Dallas, TX

Current Residences:

Wildfire Productions;Ranchos de Taos, New Mexico

Wildfire Business Office; Plano, Texas

Rocking 3M Ranching Operations:

Bobcat Cabin Ranch - Red River, New Mexico

Little Ranch on the Prairie -Viroqua, Wisconsin

FAMILY HERITAGE
Michael Martin Murphey is a descendent of Irish-American freedom fighters on his father, P.L. Murphey's side. Col. Archibald Murphey served under George Washington during the Revolutionary War. His son, Archibald Debow Murphey, was a founding member of the University of North Carolina, and the State of North Carolina. He was a judge, scholar, teacher and farmer. His son, Alexander Hamilton Murphey, came to Texas when it was a colony under Mexico. Alexander's son was a pawnshop owner and watchmaker who patented the first mechanical digital watch. The pawnshop was always full of fine instruments, and the family still owns Murphey the Jeweler in Tyler,Texas. Michael's great-grandfather was a Methodist preacher in Texas. His grandfather was a career Navy man, serving as Quartermaster of Peal Harbor when the Japanese bombing occurred. "Spud" Murphey was also Heavyweight Boxing Champion of the Pacific Fleet. "Spud" gave MMM his first guitar, but it was his step-grandfather, Ed, who gave MMM his love of cowboy life and rural living. On his mother Lois side, MMM is a descendent of the original colonists of Massachusetts. Richard Waterman rebelled against the beliefs of those in the Massachusetts Colony, and left to found the original American Baptist Church in Rhode Island with Roger Williams. John Waterman served in the Revolutionary Army under George Washington, and is one of the few marked graves at Valley Forge. Michael’s maternal great grandfather was a famous Baptist preacher. His maternal grandfather helped develop some of the first IBM computers for business in the 1950's.

Father, Pink L. Murphey Michael's father is a CPA. He served in the Navy in World War Two as a comptroller. Pink L. Murphey has been Michael's business manager and CPA for many years.

Mother, Lois Murphey Michael's mother, Lois is a loving and loyal wife and mother. She has chosen to stay at home for almost all of her life, raising a family and running a household that has always been a safe haven for the entire family. She has been involved in church work for much of her life. She is known for compassion and care for others. She will celebrate her 60th wedding anniversary with Pink in August 2002.

Brother, Mark Murphey Mark Murphey is Michael’s younger brother by three years. He is a career actor. He has been a member of The Ashland Oregon Repertory Company for many years, and he has appeared in Shakespearean plays, classical plays, and contemporary plays all of his life.

Son, Ryan Murphey: Ryan Murphey is a songwriter, instrumentalist, producer, and recording artist. Ryan played in his father's band from the age of 13 years old, and traveled with him extensively. He has written songs with his father, and was involved in the production, arranging, instrumental( guitar) and vocal of Cowboy Songs Four, Acoustic Christmas Carols, Playing Favorites, and Cowboy Song Classics. Ryan and his father had a hit song, Talking to the Wrong Man, as a duet, when Ryan was a 17-year old high school student in Austin, Texas. Ryan still performs with his father on occasion.

Son, Brennan Murphey Brennan Murphey grew up on his dad's ranches in Taos and Red River, New Mexico. He graduated as valedictorian of his high school class. Brennan attended Berklee School of Music in Boston, studying guitar on a college scholarship. He transferred to St. John's College, in Santa Fe. Brennan is a guitarist, electronic music artist, and music producer.

Daughter, Laura Murphey Laura Murphey grew up on her father's ranches in Taos and Red River, New Mexico. She was downhill skiing champion of New Mexico at 16 years old. She enrolled in Orange Coast Community College, Costa Mesa, at age 17. Laura switched to snowboarding in her senior year in high school, and went to the National Snowboarding Championships that year. In 2002, she qualified for Nationals in snowboarding again. Laura sings with her father on occasion, having appeared on Acoustic Christmas Carols most recently.

Daughter Jessica Rische: Jessica is the oldest of Karen's daughters, and will be turning 15 in 2003. She has been nationally recognized as a great cowgirls, and is deeply involved horse training, horse breeding, and ranch management for the Rocking 3M Ranching Co. Jessica was a selected to be one of 5 Grand Marshals at the Grand Opening Parade of the Cowgirl Hall of Fame in Fort Worth, Texas. She and her mother and sisters appear daily on film at the interactive exhibit " Ranch Women", because of her contrbution to the future of women in ranching. She served as a wrangler for MMM's Singing Cowboy Ranch at age 12. She is also an experience teamster, and can not only drive, but handle the complicated hitches for draft horse teams and other breeds of horses that can be driven in harness. She took her sisters to school in a horse-drawn wagon when she lived in La Farge, Wisconsin. Jessica is known for her academic ability, winning smile, sense of humor, and caring personality. She is a voracious reader and researcher in her chosen interests.

Daughter Sarah Rische: Sarah is the second oldest of Karen's daughters, having turned 13 in 2003. Sarah is a nationally famous reciter of cowgirl poetry, and nationally recognized as a great cowgirl. She has performed poetry at Michael's Westfest events, the National Cowboy Poetry Gathering in Elko, Nevada, and many other locations. She won an All-Wisconsin Youth talent contest when she was 11 years old. She began reciting at 5 years of age. Sarah was recently selected to be one of the five Grand Marshals for the Grand Opening of the Cowgirl Hall of Fame. She also served as cowgirl poet for the groundbreaking ceremony. She appears on film daily in the permanent interactive exhibit on Ranch Women at the Cowgirl Hall of Fame with her mother and sisters. Sarah is known for a winning smile and sense of humor, and for her Christian values. Sarah is also a talented artist in painting and drawing.

Daughter Morgan Rishche: Morgan is the youngest of Karen's daughters, and will be turning 11 in June, 2003. She was selected as one of five Grand Marshals of the Grand Opening Parade of the Cowgirl Hall of Fame in Fort Worth. She is honored as one of the nation's great cowgirls in a film that runs daily at the Cowgirl Hall of Fame, along with her mother and sisters. Morgan is a hard-working cowgirl in ranch mangement, training, and breeding for the Rocking 3M Ranching Co. She is also a talented rider, trainer, and driver of horses in harness. Morgan is known for her spirited sense of humor and Christian values.

Grandaugter: Fiona Rose Murphey will turn 4 in 2003, and is the daughter of Michaels oldest son. Though she was born with a challenging Brittle Bone disease, she has already shown great promise and personality. She was cited, at age 3, for her work with her mother, Francie Murphey, on raising money for Easter Seals by meeting philanthropic donors at luncheons aimed at fund-raising. Anyone who meets Fiona in inspired to help others and overcome personal challenges that hold people back.

Marriage... Mr. and Mrs. Michael Martin Muphey became a reality at First United Methodist Church, Fort Worth, Texas, at 2:30 PM, April 19th, 2003.

Michael's wife Karen was born and raised in Northern Illinois, where she ran the largest horse stable serving the Chicago suburbs. Her heritage is Finnish on her father's side, and German, Irish, and English on her mother's side. She has resided in Wisconsin for nearly 15 years. Karen is a career horsewoman with great knowledge of horse breeding, Western riding, training and ranch management. The couple divide their time between offices and ranch residences in Texas, New Mexico, and Wisconsin. She was recognized by the Cowgirl Hall of Fame as one the nation's great ranch women and cowgirls when she was asked to accompany her daughters as the lead Grand Marshal of the Grand Opening of the Cowgirl Hall of Fame in Forth Worth. She and her daughters appear daily on film in the museum permanent interactive exhibit on Ranch Women. Karen maintained a Western lifestyle for her daughters thorugh great struggle during some lean times, yet taught all of her daughters lifelong values and skills. She taught her daughter Sarah how to recite cowgirl poetry, managing her career brilliantly with limited resources. When news of this reached the Cowgirl Hall of Fame, they were moved by her hard work and dedication to being a cowgirl, and they decided to recognize her.

Karen recites cowboy and cowgirl poetry, and has organized youth and adult cowboy poetry events. She has a love of working with youth. She also works hand in hand with Michael on his trail rides, events and projects. She is the Manager of the Rocking 3M Ranching Company, and she puts in daily time on the ranches' management.

Michael's Interests Outside of Music Michael has maintained a ranching lifestyle through most of his career. He loves the cowboy life. He is the founder and owner of the Rocking 3M Ranching Company, which has divisions in New Mexico, Colorado, Kansas, and Wisconsin. Michael and his ranch managers raise and train registered Longhorn and Corriente cattle, American Quarter Horses, American Paint Horses, Draft Horses, and "the occasional" mule. Michael was awarded a rare honorary lifetime membership in the American Quarter Horse Association for his work on behalf of the breed.

Outfitting -Michael is also an outfitter of trail rides in spectacular locations, and he has led parties of riders over thousands of miles of trails in his lifetime. Some of the locations where he has led trail rides include: Monument Valley, Grand Canyon, Bryce Canyon, Yellowstone National Park, the Black Hills of South Dakota, and numerous locations in the Colorado Rockies. He began a 500 mile trail ride in 1998 over the rugged, but breathtaking Colorado Trail. from Denver to Durango, which he will complete in August 2002. Michael founded the Singing Cowboy Ranch Co. in 2001 for the purpose creating locations where people could ride horses, enjoy a campfire singing experience, and taste cowboy-style chuckwagon food.

Teaching and Scholarship Michael founded the Murphey Western Institute in 1998, for the preservation and Study of the Culture of the American West. He serves as an Adjunct Professor of Music and American Studies at Utah State University, where he teaches symposiums and seminars. Michael has a lifelong passion for the study of the American West, and has been recognized for his contribution in that field as a serious scholar and researcher. Michael has a library of thousands of books, with a primary focus on the American West.

Philanthropy and Charity The Murphey Public Trail Fund has raised money for the Colorado Trail, and plans to focus on other important American trails. The Murphey Western Institute sponsors special programs and classes, therapeutic horseback riding, and many other educational activities.

The Fiona Rose Murphey Foundation was founded in honor of his son Ryan's daughter, who has Brittle Bone Disease. The foundation has raised fund for families of children who have debilitating diseases, including Holly Gonzales, whom the foundation helped with financial relief during cancer treatments. The foundation also helped the New Mexico legislature frame a bill to help with financial relief for patients in need of experimental procedures not covered by insurance. The bill is called the Holly Gonzales Bill.

Religion- Michael is a Christian. He attends the St. James Episcopal Church in Taos, New Mexico, and likes to visit the Willow Creek Church in Illinois, and the Mariner Church in California when he is visiting family in the area. He also attend the Evangelcal Free Church in Onalaska. He also loves to attend the small churces and chapels of rural areas, such as the many Lutheran churches in the Mississippi Coulee Region of Southwestern Wisconsin where he ranches in a heavily agricultural area. One of his deeply held beliefs is in the importance of being a good neighbor, and he particularly admires that in his Amish and Scandanavin/German neighbors in the rolling hills near his Rocking 3M Ranch North, and in his primarily Hispanic neighbors in the mountains of New Mexico. " Jesus felt spoke very eloquently about Neighborliness as central to spiritual growth".

Outdoorsman and Western Rider Michael is an avid Nordic skier, snowshoe enthusiast, Western rider, and hiker. He has walked and skied over thousands of miles of trails. He loves camping in the high country with friends, where he loves to tell stories and sing around the campfire. He also loves hunting with shotguns, and has participated in trap shooting matches for fun and charity.. Michael has received awards for his riding from the National Western Stock Show of Colorado, the Houston Rodeo and Livestock Show, and the Reno Rodeo.

Creative Writing Michael has written articles for a number of publications. He has written for Range Magazine, Cowboys and Indians, Cowboy Magazine, American West Magazine, and many other publications. He has also written poetry, filmscripts and speeches all of his life.

Actor and Filmmaker Michael is an actor, narrator director and producer, with many credits to his career. He was a pioneer in country music video at a time when video was not embraced by the executives of big record companies. His videos, films, documentaries and plays have received numerous awards and critical acclaim.

Collector Michael has a great love of Western art; Navajo weavings; rare prints, documents and photographs of the Old West; fine shotguns- old and new; Native American art; collector's saddles and tack; rare books; Victorian American West styled oak furniture, rustic log furniture, and rare clothing of the American frontier period. His collection is small, but high in quality.

Education Attended Adamson High School, Dallas,Texas; North Texas State University; University of California Los Angeles( UCLA) studied Creative Writing, Humanities. Michael is self-taught in music. He currently serves as an Adjunct Professor of Music and American Studies at Utah State University, where he consults with the faculty and teaches workshops and seminars. Michael specialzes in teaching Songwriting from an historical and cultrual perspective that is unique.

Source:  MichaelMartinMurphy.com

If music be the food of love, play on;
Give me excess of it, that, surfeiting,
The appetite may sicken, and so die.
That strain again! it had a dying fall:
O, it came o'er my ear like the sweet sound
That breathes upon a bank of violets,
Stealing and giving odour!

William Shakespeare (1564 - 1616),