Michael Martin Murphey Gives Fans Austin Music History Lesson On New CD

Michael Martin Murphey will celebrate the outlaw spirit of the Austin music scene in the 60’s and 70’s on his upcoming album Austinology – Alleys Of Austin, when Jerry Jeff Walker, Willie Nelson, and other guitar slingers were setting the tone and the stage for the Outlaw movement in country ushered in by Nelson, Waylon Jennings and others. The project, distributed by Soundly Music via The Orchard, is set for release October 5.

Murphey had a front row ticket to the action as a part of the burgeoning Austin music scene back in those days, and for Austinology, he took a trip down Memory Lane and selected songs, including some by Guy Clark, Townes Van Zandt and Jerry Jeff Walker, that were important to that era when he lived in Austin and created the “Cosmic Cowboy” era.

Murphey is joined by plenty of special guests who were integral to that era on the project, as well as those influenced by the work they created, and the songs are given a fresh reading by Murphey and artists like Willie Nelson (on “Alleys of Austin” and “Cosmic Cowboy”), Steve Earle (on “Geronimo’s Cadillac”), Lyle Lovett (on “Alleys of Austin,” “Cosmic Cowboy” and “Drunken Lady of the Morning”), Kelly Willis and Bruce Robison (on “Little Bird”), Jerry Jeff Walker (on “Cosmic Cowboy”), Amy Grant (on “Wildfire”), Randy Rogers (“Backslider’s Wine”), The Last Bandoleros (on Guy Clark’s “LA Freeway”) and more.

Murphey also enlisted some top notch players for the project, including guitarist Kenny Greenberg, dobroist Rob Ickes, keyboardist Tim Akers and more. The album is co-produced with Christopher Harris and will be available for digital pre-order beginning Friday, July 27. The pre-order features both “Geronimo’s Cadillac” with special guest Steve Earle and “Outlaw Medley” as instant grat tracks.