The Steven Elmo Murphy Band

The Police kick off world tour; Steve Elmo Murphy takes the monsters away

Sweers, Robin
For: www.brantfordexpositor.ca

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- Thursday, May 31, 2007 @ 07:00

For several years now Steve elmo murphy's name has been appearing in the club listings section of this column. With elmo in your name you stand out to the parents of small children who immediately get visions of the happy red monster from Sesame Street in their heads. It should be said that once one experiences the music of Steve elmo murphy, a new vision takes the monsters away.

Steve has been playing professionally and recording regularly since the late 1990s and given his growing popularity it is unlikely that he will be slowing down anytime soon.

When one reads through the bios of Steve on his website, www.Stevenelmomurphy.com or checks out his Myspace page it is quickly apparent the Steve is making the most of his musical career. His musical resume is an impressive read with a number of ventures, both past and present, including: Big Fuzzy and the Dirt Road Wranglers, The Friends of Hefner, Mark Wilson and the Way It Is, the Guest House, Shelby and elmo and of course the Steve "elmo" murphy Band. I had no idea Steve was such a busy guy.

Steve is not just playing gigs at local clubs, he has also been on the road quite a bit in the past few years touring with a number of the groups listed above.

With his numerous live gigs and regular touring, it is a small wonder that Steve has found the time to record two albums: Friends and I released in 2004 and Open For Business released in 2006. Steve's fans will be thrilled to hear that he is currently working on a live CD, which should be released in the near future.

I have yet to pop out to one of Steve's local club gigs, but I did have the pleasure of hearing him perform this past September when he and Shelby entertained the crowd at my brother's wedding. Steve and Shelby played a number of cover tunes for the crowd and effortlessly mixed in a number of Steve's original tunes.

From his two CDs, Romance at the Refugee Cafe from Friends and I is definitely my personal favourite.

All of Steve's original music takes the listener on a storytelling journey. When you listen to the songs, they take you on a relaxing trip that offers several glimpses into the life and mind of the man behind the music. It doesn't take long to see why Steve's vocal and guitar talent are in such high demand.

Steve is quick to credit many of his own musical influences, particularly The Band, for his love of music and his unique style. In fact many of the bands that have affected Steve come from the late 1960s, and they, too, set out to tell stories about life, love and disappointment through their music.

For those of you, like me, who haven't yet popped out to one of our local clubs to hear the live version of Steve elmo murphy's music, Steve is really making the most of the Internet as a marketing tool. Both Steve's website and his Myspace page offer viewers the opportunity to listen to some of his music and learn a great deal more about the man behind it.

Steve's Myspace page also has a very up-to-date list of coming gigs, several here in Brantford, to help his fans, current and future, make plans to see him perform. In addition you can get contact information and arrange to purchase CDs. Both sites are well worth checking out.

Many local music lovers will be eagerly awaiting Steve's next album. Check back to find out when it is ready for release. In the meantime, check out a live show and find out what has Steve's fan base growing by the day.

- The Brantford Expositor