IN 2012, Tupelo, Mississippi native John Murry released his critically acclaimed debut solo album ‘The Graceless Age’. It featured in the top 10 of end of year’s lists from Mojo, Uncut and The Guardian.
The album chronicled his battles with drug addiction and his ultimate survival and is rightly regarded as a modern day classic.
The success of ‘The Graceless Age’ was overshadowed by the death of the record’s producer Tim Mooney (Sun Kil Moon and American Music Club). Only 53 when he died, Tim was a co-creator, mentor and close friend of the songwriter.
Marital breakdown, record company fall-outs and a disastrous Kickstarter campaign followed for John Murry in 2013 and a return to recording looked a remote possibility.
Low in funds and with little record company support, Murry left the US and moved to Ireland. He set up in Kilkenny where he has become part of the artistic community appearing on stage with Duende Dogs, and John Blek And The Rats among other local acts.
On his experiences in Ireland he says, “I wonder often whether I came to Ireland with the hope of slipping more quickly into death. I was tired. I was broken up. I was cracking up. Several years ago, when playing for the third time in Kilkenny, I was interviewed on camera. I say in it something to the effect of knowing that I could live here, wanting to live here, and feeling it to be a truly magical place.”
In 2015 at the request of Michael Timmins (Cowboy Junkies), John travelled to record, Timmins producing with members of the Cowboy Junkies and the backing band including Cait O’Riordan (Pogues) on bass and backing vocals.
The result of that recording is John’s sophomore album ‘A Short History of Decay’ due for release soon.
Murry is also the subject of a documentary currently being filmed in Ireland and US.
For this tour John will be joined by Irish guitarist Clive Barnes. They play Dolan’s this Friday July 29.
