J. P. Murphy

Standing on the shoulders of the many giants that came before him, J.P. Murphy, a South Texas songwriter, looks to be on the verge of something “Texas-sized.” J.P. has written, composed, and produced a string of debut singles that he began releasing in July 2024. After hearing his first-ever release, a clever country tune called “Texas Farewell,” one might think they stumbled upon some lost recordings from a bygone era of music. Yet his fans find his songs relevant in a world that has grown increasingly digital and artificial. He achieves a unique yet oddly familiar sound influenced by American songwriters such as Hank Williams, Townes Van Zandt, John Prine, Joni Mitchell, Robert Hunter, Jerry Garcia, Peter Rowan, Tom Petty, and many others legends.
 
Through his music, J.P. wants to inspire others and unite them, speak the unsaid and be a voice for the voiceless, and to give the gift music to the world. Just as his music tells a story, there is also a story behind the man.
 
Known as Johnny to friends/family, J.P. is a self-taught musician, born and raised in Auburn, Alabama. Although he wasn't born into a musical family, he always felt a deep connection to music, as far back as he can remember.
 
It wasn't until sometime after his 11th birthday that J.P. scrounged up enough money to buy his first used guitar from a Music store in downtown Auburn. Initially inspired by grunge rock bands like Nirvana and Stone Temple Pilots, he embarked on his musical odyssey. His interests in genres changed when his late older brother introduced him to bands such as The Grateful Dead, Allman Brothers, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, and many other classic British and American rock bands, as well as some bluegrass. This would change the course of J.P.'s musical journey for many years and he developed an intense love and passion for live music.

While still in high school, J.P. learned both guitar and bass but it remained no more than a hobby. After graduation, he did not see much opportunity in his hometown, had no direction in life, and as a result, joined the Air Force. He reluctantly decided to put down the guitar for a time as he served as an Air Traffic Controller, eventually doing one tour in Iraq, he saw some of the world, and had some unique experiences; however, he would eventually experience burnout as his heart longed for something different. After a seven-year break from guitar, he started practicing again, but this time with a different mindset: to become a master guitarist (inspired by Robert Greene's self-help book “Mastery” and Malcolm Gladwell's “Outliers”). The guitar was pulling him away from the establishment and into the world of music, art, and creation. He couldn't get enough and recalls spending long hours working on technique and learning songs, sometimes up to six hours with no breaks. And it worked. 

After leaving the Air Force, he found himself directionless and uninspired once again, and saw the breakdown of a long-term relationship and the passing of his father to cancer, which left J.P. at a low point in life, to which he started grappling with a drug addiction. With no clear goal in mind, he turned to music as a way to cope with things. It was through music that he would find himself again and begin writing lyrics. With the help of music, he was also able to overcome addiction. And his guitar playing had gotten to a level he felt was satisfactory; songwriting wouldn't come until a few years later. 
 
During that time, he saw some success as a sales rep, which paid the bills, but still felt disenfranchised by the conventional world and somehow drawn more to music.
 
Responding to that feeling, J.P. left his sales job, and began to focus his efforts on music. He went to open mics, found ways to collaborate with other musicians, played shows, worked on his voice, and composed originals. This has been his primary focus for the past five years, leading up to the present day.
 
After a few years of gigging in South Texas with various bands, J.P. was ready to begin his own original projects. However, in those few years, he was unable to find singers or songwriters who shared similar goals in music. Instead of quitting, he decided to take his lyric writing more seriously and went on a deep dive into songwriting, crediting Ken Burn's documentary “Country Music,” as a doorway into American music history.
 
What came next was an Indie Folk song he calls "Inspiration". A song which would naturally inspire the dreamy folk tune, “Spiral Stream of Dreams”. Both songs give a glimpse into J.P.'s writing technique, referencing ideas like “words falling out” and “getting away.” He believes songwriting should never be a difficult process; “one just has to believe they can do it, practice it, and be open to inspiration when she comes.” J.P.'s most recent release, “Sign in the Sky”, was inspired by an experience he had a few years ago which led to what he describes as a “spiritual awakening.”
 
His current musical output has a classic singer/songwriter quality, with hints of classic and modern country, classic rock, folk, soul, and reggae, among others.
 
Stay tuned for his next release, “Alive or Dead,” an introspective story about someone struggling with the grips of reality while contemplating one of life's biggest questions.
 
Visit J.P.'s website, jpmurphymusic.com, say hello, and follow him on most streaming/social platforms today.
 

https://linktr.ee/JPMurphyMusic
 
https://jpmurphymusic.com/
 
https://open.spotify.com/artist/2ckLrAWLUTQDT7q1aXZZFj?si=RXJXpLP_QeGKFtw2fHayFg
 
https://www.instagram.com/jpmurphymusician/