John Murry decamped to Ireland a decade ago. Originally from Tupelo, Mississippi, he released his debut LP, The Graceless Age, on Rubyworks back in 2013 to ecstatic reviews.
John felt a natural affinity with Ireland when he visited on tour with the late Vanguard folk artist Bob Frank in 2007. He went on to take courses in San Francisco in the Irish Language and Irish History, never expecting to end up living here.
The tenth anniversary of The Graceless Age is being marked now by Rubyworks’ vinyl release of the album, along with the film premiere of The Graceless Age: The Ballad of John Murry.
Produced by New Decade and Screen Ireland among others, the soundtrack features John Murry and the score was created by Michael Timmins (Cowboy Junkies ). Part road trip, part memory, part fever dream - John's journey back delves deep into his Southern past to reveal more about him, including confrontation of an experience of sexual assault as a child, racism and control in The South and America, his relationship with and familial knowledge of William Faulkner (a relative through adoption ), his biological Native American family history and relationship with his own adoption into his family today.
As John has mused, “What else am I going to do? This music stuff, this is not something anyone should do. Unfortunately, it is is who some of us are.’
John will perform in Róisín Dubh on Thursday July 13.
The film premiere of The Graceless Age: The Ballad of John Murry will take place in the Pálás on Saturday July 15.
Tickets available from galwayfilmfleadh.com
