DIANE TREMARCO IN AWE OF …
THE GARY MURPHY BAND
I have always greatly admired fellow musicians and creatives and I am thrilled to be able to tell you about those I know well and those I have recently discovered . Please take a look at my Instagram profile for more of the artists I am in awe of .
There is a band that has been packing out local theatres for over 25 years and I thought it was about time someone introduced the individual members . I give you , The Gary Murphy Band .
The brains behind the project and indeed its namesake , Gary Murphy , was born with a guitar in his hand . From an early age he performed as part of Casino , a renowned cabaret band with his brother Larry , around the clubs and pubs honing his skills as a top-class entertainer . Today , he is highly regarded as one of the finest guitarists in the UK , receiving several local and nationwide awards .
I first met Gary in the Pacific pub in Birkenhead . It would have been a Monday night as that was the night we went to watch The Cheats there . He was undoubtedly influenced by the superb talent of Kenny Parry . In fact , when you see Gary perform today , similarities are all too evident , particularly his stage antics - but then I suppose we are all guilty of that .
A successful solo career unfolded and international fame greeted him in many parts of Europe . It was around this time that we met again . I now owned the Buz Magazine and Gary was a regular advertiser and prolific performer . The theatre called and Gary put a band together to deliver shows that sold out every time . Band members changed over the years due to the untimely death of some great friends . Banjo Graham was a regular guest on early shows as was Pete Cummings ( Pete Casino ). We then lost Denny Bolton and sadly Paul Brookes was diagnosed with Parkinson ’ s Disease . I used to perform with them myself until I became ill . Gary has performed and produced many concerts which have been performed at the Liverpool Empire , Liverpool Philharmonic Theatre , Liverpool Echo Arena , Pacific Road Arts Theatre , Floral Pavilion Theatre , and Liverpool Epstein Theatre .
The most successful of all his shows is Guitar Legends , which is still going strong to this day . It is the story of guitar history and includes a mix of music performance and narration by Billy Butler providing an insight into the lives and songs of some of our best loved guitar heroes , including : Brian May ( Queen ), George Harrison ( The
Beatles ), Mark Knopfler ( Dire Straits ), The Eagles , Dave Gilmour ( Pink Floyd ), Lyndsey Buckingham ( Fleetwood Mac ), Pete Townshend ( The Who ), Angus Young ( AC / DC ), Django Reinhardt , BB King , Chet Atkins , Chuck Berry , Hank Marvin ( The Shadows ), and many more !
Guitar Legends highlights many different guitar styles including rock , pop , jazz and country and has something for all ages . Over 100 years of guitar history in one electrifying night !
Gary can literally play any style guitar and indeed can be seen weekly at the worldfamous Cavern Club doing just that . He is a great talent but also a thoroughly decent bloke . www . garymurphy . rocks
Robbie Shirley - vocals , bass , guitar and keyboards Robbie is the guy in the band who sounds like Sting . That is how many people know him but let me tell you , he is so much more than that ! Firstly , he is a talented musician playing guitar , bass and keyboards and has played on the circuit for many years as both a solo artist and as part of a band . It is true , his voice is incredible with a powerful range and a high register . He can also harmonise beautifully . He is a totally genuine , laid-back guy and nothing is ever too much trouble . You can throw any song at him and he will master it in minutes – a real musicians musician .
Alan Armstrong - vocals , guitar What can I say about this guy ? A singer songwriter who deserves more recognition than he gets . He has trodden the boards for many years from the band Little Italy , through to Tuppence a Pint with Terry O ’ Shea and on to a successful solo career . A great singer , a great guitarist and a great entertainer . He came to work at The Buz for a time and it was great to get to know the man behind the guitar . Alan is a true gent and an asset in any band . We really should encourage him to revive his Bryan Adams tribute – it was superb .
Adam Goldberg - drums I know Adam the least in the band . I actually know Dave his father better , as the super talented keyboard player in Rumours of Fleetwood Mac . Having seen Adam play
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