Michael Martin Murphey at Lewisville’s MCL Grand Theater
Article and photos by: Dennis Mitchell
LEWISVILLE, TX – Playing to a full house, Michael Martin Murphey walked on stage and treated the crowd to some of his most popular tunes from years past. Included were hit songs such as “Geronimo’s Cadillac”, “What’s Forever For”, “Cosmic Cowboy”, and the all time favorite, “Wildfire”. At 71 years young, his voice and stage presence are as good as ever. As with any live performance, the were a few hiccups along the way. But we need to remember that on stage there’s no hitting the pause button to go back and fix little mistakes like you can in the studio. You play through them and keep right on going, which is exactly what Michael did.
The second set is filled with tunes from Michael’s long running series of cowboy song recordings, including his newest release “High Stakes: Cowboy Songs Vol. VII”. A story teller at heart, he uses this talent to keep the days of cowboys and cattle drives alive and well. Between songs he shares a bit of history about the time when Texas was a Republic, along with how life on the trail was in the 1800’s. He remarked that the average age of a Cowboy back then was 16, and asked how many parents in the audience could imagine sending their 16 year old son on a trip across the west, on horseback, without a cell phone!
With seating for just under 300, the MCL makes for a nice intimate venue with great sound and acoustics. Combine that with a passionate and humble performer and you have the formula for a wonderful evening of music and entertainment. For fans of songwriters and the old west, Michael Martin Murphey is your man. For him, putting these stories to music and preserving the songs of those who went before him is not a trend, it’s away of life. And has been for his entire career. Even his early hit “Geronimo’s Cadillac” is based on a true story which he shares during the show. With so much of America’s history being swept under the rug these days, it’s nice to know there are people putting their life’s work into keeping it alive in a way that speaks to a vast audience of listeners. Thank you Michael Martin Murphey for doing what you do best!
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