Once described by Phil Coulter as “the most exciting vocal find in Ireland”, Dubliner George Murphy is back with renewed vigour following a period touring the globe with The High Kings.
Now with his own band, The Rising Sons, the singer-songwriter, who first found fame on the television show ‘You’re a Star’ is breaking new ground and is set to bring his latest work to Monroe’s Live on Saturday, July 15 at 8pm.
Having explored a myriad of styles over the years, The Rising Sons is a return to his roots, embracing a heady mix of Irish folk with rock n’ roll. Here, the traditional sounds of the banjo, fiddle and whistle merge with the rhythm of electric guitar, bass and percussion to deliver a unique soundscape.
Poignantly, George performed a duet with the late Christy Dignam on a searing version of Bob Dylan’s ‘Sara’ on his third album ‘The Ballad of Archie Thompson’.
A hero of his, it forms part of his music journey which began at the age of 17, as he reached no 1 in the Irish album charts with his debut album ‘Dreamed a Dream’, and saw him tour internationally.
Four albums later, the exciting line-up of The Rising Sons has allowed George to expand his horizons, providing a solid foundation for the dynamic and lyrically charged songs he creates.
For him, the message is as important as the melody, unleashing the dark corners of our shared heritage through music.
This eight piece ensemble includes ‘The Whistling Wizard’ David Brown, who has been playing with George for the last 20 years and is both his first cousin and best friend; multi-instrumentalists Declan Parsons and Jimmy Morrison; Joey ‘The Bass’ Hughes, who recently celebrated his 70th birthday; electric guitarist Tommy Whelan, who has “riffs in his fingers that Hendrix would be proud of”; percussionist Shane O’Hannigan and fiddle player Sean Regan, who has worked with Sharon Shannon, Damien Dempsey and Finbar Furey.
Inspired by the likes of Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash and John Lennon, George has found his home in the form of a band that was born out of a local session on his doorstep. With full artistic and creative control, the Beaumont native, who has a voice reminiscent of Luke Kelly, is creating a stir once again, this time on his own terms.
Having recently sold out Vicar Street, and due to support The Wolfe Tones this August, don’t miss your chance to catch George Murphy and The Risings Sons in Galway at Monroe’s Live on Saturday, July 15 at 8pm. Tickets cost €20 and are available from monroes.ie