Cheryl Murdock
Austin, Texas, United States | SELF
Music
Press
Burning Desire
Cheryl Murdock is one self-determined songstress
Cheryl Murdock found herself at a crossroads last spring,
The 34 year old singer songwriter’s band Shine hand just split up, moved on, and left Murdock with a handful of her own songs. After a lot of debate and what she refers to on her cd’s sleeve notes as “a rollercoaster of emotions” she took those songs and ran with them.
“I was determined to get them out,” Murdock said “Songs are like children, and I wanted to get them out there so I could move on past them.” I was just really torn between going out under my name vs. having another band name.”
The San Marcos high school graduate chose the former, and several months later her LP “Starting Fires” is a result of her resolve.
Ironically (or not so much so) Murdock’s songs continually discuss going after what you want and pushing through the tough times to achieve it. Kind of like a Dr. Phil Best Seller with a beat, and slightly better syntax. But the listener knows that Murdock’s going out there and getting it done.
On the last track “ This is Me”, Murdock sings “This is what I want – this is who I am – I ain’t taking a backseat – I ain’t changing my plans”
“I have goals like anyone else, and I sometimes have to tell my self “are you going to talk or are you going to do” that’s kind of what This is me was about. Kind of a message for anybody.” Mudock said.
And as one might expect these songs aren’t to be sung nestled down onto a stool strumming a Martin acoustic with a timid voice – though a few could be. Most of Murdock’s songs are sonic burst rants that rattle the ears into absorption. They leave no room for sulking over yesterday – they’re alive and kicking and looking forward to the next big bang.
Now that the songs are out – Murdock says she’s happy where she is. Playing the familiar role as an IH35 Troubadour, she goes back and forth between Austin and San Marcos trying out some new ones at open mic night at Triple Crown and playing 6th st. gigs regularly. You better believe she’s got goals – but she’s just taking it a day at a time. “I just love music and that’s a blessing and a curse” Murdock said “if you have a lot of talent people listen to you and that’s a blessing. The curse is that you keep wanting to do it even if they don’t.”
(Murdock will perform Friday at the Triple Crown live in San Marcos.)
January 6, 2005
Jeff Walker, Features Editor - San Marcos Daily Record
- San Marcos Daily Record
Are you ready for another weekend full of great music? Well, this time around I did something I'd never tried before: all local artists. That's right, I'm keeping it local and recommending great music from our own backyard for the entire weekend.
3. Third place goes to a woman with a big voice, Cheryl Murdock. This rocker has a penchant for writing songs that stick with you and rhythms that help her play around with her great voice. - Austin Post
Are you ready for another weekend full of great music? Well, this time around I did something I'd never tried before: all local artists. That's right, I'm keeping it local and recommending great music from our own backyard for the entire weekend.
3. Third place goes to a woman with a big voice, Cheryl Murdock. This rocker has a penchant for writing songs that stick with you and rhythms that help her play around with her great voice. - Austin Post
Discography
Late Bloomer - June 2013
Starting Fires - July 2004
Late Bloomer - In Stores now, available on iTunes, Amazon, etc.
Photos
Bio
Cheryl Murdock was just a little girl when she discovered how much she loved singing — so much, she even serenaded the cattle on the ranch where her family rented a home. And they listened.
It didn’t take long for her soul-splashed, Texas-tinged americana to find equally appreciative human audiences. Murdock, who teaches voice and guitar at the Austin School of Music, has been fronting bands since she was 17. Though she back-burnered her musical aspirations while working in advertising at the Austin American-Statesman, she recently jumped back in with both feet — and surfaced with Late Bloomer, produced by Kevin McKinney of Soulhat fame. Nearly half of its 11 tracks were written in Nashville with Eric Paslay and Angela Hurt; those collaborations were the result of her top-10 runner-up status in 2004’s CMT/Nashville Songwriters Association International contest. (She also earned a 2005 honorable mention.) The title track references exactly what she’s doing now: “pursuing the dream I’ve always had.”
Murdock deferred that dream when the newspaper job she took to boost her income as a young singer turned into an 18-year career, during which she rose from phone sales to advertising management. But the musical passions her parents instilled in their fourth and youngest child early on never dimmed; she continued writing and performing, and in 2004 released her first solo album, Starting Fires. In 2006, the track “I’ve Waited So Long” was used in the TV series Veronica Mars. She’s hoping to have similar luck with Late Bloomer, a fine album that evokes hints of Sheryl Crow and Joan Osborne’s earthiness, with Patty Griffin’s soulfulness and a little of Kathleen Edwards’ melancholy.
She’s not at all sorry it took so long for her to get around to it.
“I’m finally getting to be my authentic self, and to be completely involved in music,” Murdock says. “This is my life now. Making music is what I’m meant to be doing. I’m spreading my wings and just getting started.”
As late bloomers know, better late than never.
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