George Murphy and the Rising Sons will be coming on tour to Wexford soon…
Ahead of his gig at the Wexford Opera House on Friday March 15th, we had the opportunity to sit down with lead singer George Murphy to discuss everything from his musical inspirations, the things he loves most about Wexford, and the advice he’d give to people thinking about taking a similar route with their careers.
Growing up, Murphy had an array of musical inspirations:
“My favourite band growing up was The Beatles. I obviously never got a chance to see them live but I’ve seen Paul McCartney twice and he was incredible.”
However, “the biggest influence and inspiration to me came from Aslan’s Christy Dignam though. A gent and a true working class hero.”
Right now, Murphy is a nationwide phenomenon and he would be well-known throughout a lot of places in Ireland, regularly selling out gigs. But, did he always believe that this would be the case?
“I’ve always had an inner confidence that I could get somewhere big with music. I don’t think I am the greatest musician but I have been lucky enough to play with some great musicians and it helps me to achieve my best vocals which I think is my biggest attribute,” he told Wexford Weekly.
With his nationwide tour, there comes both positives and negatives. While the music and the craic can be great, he is a family man after all and this is one of the hardest sacrifices.
“The best thing about touring is meeting new people and playing to new audiences. It helps keep things new and fresh for both the band and the fans. The worst thing is being away from family and missing home,” he said.
There’s a Wexford man involved in his band, so he would know a fair bit about Wexford. Upon his return to the Model County, he’s looking forward to the craic around town more than anything else:
“Catching up with some friends we have made down that way and having a few pints which usually leads to an impromptu sing song. We have a Wexford man Luke Cosgrave in the band and two great Wexford lads Conor Kenny and Luc Power doing support on the night so the craic should be mighty,” Murphy said.
Not everyone will become as big as Murphy in their career, but it’s always good to hear from people who have been there and done that. For Murphy, not being afraid to push yourself out of your comfort zone is just one piece of advice that budding musicians should take note of:
“Always chase the dream and never be afraid that it’s a bridge too far. If you aim for the stars and land instead on the moon sure that’s ok but always try to be moving forward. Play with new people as often as possible, make new contacts and explore new musical avenues and ideas… ya never know what might grow out of something so small or spontaneous,” he said.
George Murphy & The Rising Sons will perform at the Wexford Opera House on Friday March 15th. Tickets are currently on sale via the Wexford Opera House website.
