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Murray Williams single "Thank A Farmer" Released Overseas
Murray Williams has just released his first single from the "Pure and Simple Album. "Thank A Farmer" has been released on the Hillcrest Label and distributed to over 600 Radio and media outlets in the following countries. Argentina, Australia, New Zealand. England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland. Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, Norway, Poland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, The Netherlands and Japan. Murray would like to thank all of folks from the above countries for keeping his music alive and well around the globe.
Local musician Murray Williams salutes farmers on his first solo CD
(as seen in the Burford Times)
Fairfield area dairy farmer Murray Williams has his own very personal and creative way of dealing with mad cow disease, low commodity prices, uncooperative weather and all the other challenges facing farmers today. He writes songs about it.
The guitarist/composer/vocalist will begin work next month recording his first solo CD with a full third of the nine-song compilation taking inspiration directly from farmers and the rural way of life.
Besides the personal therapy, Murray said there is a broader purpose behind his project. “It grew out of my frustration over what is going on in farming, the whole issue,” he explained. “There’s a lack of awareness of the problems the farmers are facing today as well as the importance of agriculture for all of us. I know I’m not going to change the world but I want to give the people a different outlook on the farming life.”
All farmers will relate to “Farmin’ Life”, “Thank a Farmer” and “Farmer Joe”, but the songs will appeal to and, Murray hopes, educate other listeners as well. Often touching, sometimes funny, always thought provoking, the songs are a heart felt salute to both the business and they way of life that is farming.
“Thank a Farmer” shares with the listener a sampling of the many things we use and take for granted every day which have their farm roots on the family farm.
“Farmer Joe” tells the sad story of a farmer who, due to circumstances out of his control has a few years, can’t pay the bills and is forced out of farming. The valuable farm land he once owned is bought by industry and becomes part of the city.
Our favourite of the “farm songs” is “Farmin’ Life”. This song deals with the challenges of running a farm but also celebrates the farming way of life in a very uplifting way.
The song is very clever and very funny. Get a load of these lyrics:
My kids’ piggy banks are full of IOUs
And duct tape holds together my old shoes,
But it’s a great way of living,
This life on the farm.
Bill collectors lining up at my door,
Said, “Sorry folks, he don’t live here any more.”
“Well we’d like to believe you, sir,
But that’s your name on the barn”…
The remaining six songs deal with other issues, or are just intended to entertain, but even the rural family values that are so important to Murray show through. That’s certainly the case in the emotionally charged “Bring Them Back”, for example. Addressing the very serious subject of child abduction, the song has clearly been written by a man who cares for children and family very deeply. Look forward to hearing this one because it’s possibly the strongest song on the CD, but have a Kleenex box handy.
In the music business for 25 years, Murray has played with the Good Brothers, Terry Sumsion, Thomas Wade and the Wilkinsons, among many others. He is presently the front man for the popular local band, “Common Thread”.
Born and raised on the family farm of parents Bruce and Dorothy Williams, Murray gets his talent honestly. His father has leant his talents on the organ to Fairfield United Church for many, many years. Like his father, Murray has managed to find a balance between his farming and his music. These days Murray and his brother Ken, run the farm.
For the new CD, Murray is excited to be working with local musician Frank DiFelice, who will produce the recording. The musical director for the Phil Hartman Comedy gala and the creative artistic director of the very popular “Brantford Downtown Jazz” series, Mr. DiFelice’s successful career includes TV appearances, radio commercials, film scores and children’s albums. He has notable performers as Beverly D’Angelo, Peter Appleyard, Moe Koffman, Guido Basso, Rich Little and many others.
“It’s nice to know somebody with lots of connections,” Murray commented. “Frank has done a lot of different things.”
For Murray’s project, Mr. DiFelice has booked studio time at Cellar Full of Noise in Hamilton on Sept. 18. The mastering and mixing will be done at Grant Avenue Studios, also in Hamilton.
It is expected the CD will be released in early January 2006.
Then the really hard work will start.
“Making a CD is one thing, getting it out and promoting it is another,” Murray noted, adding the he plans to concentrate on agricultural functions, plowing matches and rural fairs.
“A lot of musicians ant to make the “big time”, but I’m not about that,” he continued. “For me, just getting my music heard is the big thing.
While the new CD is a solo project, “Common Thread” continues to be very much alive and very supportive of Murray’s initiative. In fact it was through friend Dave Souliere that Murray met Mr. DiFelice. Mr. DiFelice and Mr. Souliere recently worked together on a very successful country CD project of Mr. Souliere’s.
Mr. Souliere’s brother Steve is bass player for “Common Thread”. He also adds his mandolin and vocal talents to the group.
Drummer is Vern Smith while Mike Dalton plays lead guitar and fiddle. That leaves Murray to pick up lead vocals, guitar and keyboard.
The band has a very diverse repertoire, playing everything from ‘50s rock and roll, to bluegrass, to classic rock as well as old and new country.
Summer was the perfect time for Murray to put together his solo project because band members tend to take a break in the good weather to spend time with their families.
“They take off in their motor homes,” Murray smiled. “Me, I’m busy, too – I’m a farmer.”
As a song writer Murray finds his inspiration in everyday life, from farming to “Infomercials” which he likes so much that he sings a song in their honour on the new CD. (It’s just possible that Murray was being a little sarcastic in that one.)
“Sometimes the lyrics come first, and other times it’s the music,” Murray said of the creative process, adding that often times he composes on the piano and adds the guitar later. “And sometimes it comes easy and sometimes it doesn’t.”
One of his pet peeves about the music business lately is that country is not really country anymore.
“The rock of the ‘70s is the country of today,” he observed, citing the popularity of the Eagles music on country radio stations as a prime example.
He understands the reason for the trend, however. As a result the popularity of the “country rock” genre and the emergence of superstars like Faith Hill and Garth Brooks, country music is reaching a wider audience.
That’s good, but the main benefactors are the big stars. Most of the acts rely on playing in bars and taverns are struggling.
“The anti-smoking regulations and stricter drinking and driving regulations all make sense, but they have had an impact on the club scene,” he said.
That’s part of the reason Murray decided to embark on his solo CD project. It’s a matter of diversifying and being creative.
Murray has also recently started a letter writing campaign, promoting what he and “Common Thread” have to offer to farm and rural organizations. And, with the help of his 15 year-old daughter, Carolyn he now offers his fans and the general public an exciting new website complete with songs lyrics, photos from various shows, background information and agricultural related links (murraywilliams.piczo.com).
All of his family have not only been very supportive but have taken on important roles in Murray’s music career in general and solo CD project in particular. Wife Ruth is both Murray’s number one fan and most valued music critic. Thirteen year-old son Rodney has become an excellent drummer and sometimes accompanies his father.
“Everybody’s been great,” Murray concluded.
Visit Murray’s website regularly for updates on the progress of the new CD and other news including details about any upcoming show dates.
Farmer singing about rural life.
HIS SOON TO BE RELEASED CD WILL CELEBRATE FARMING
Chris Thomas
Simcoe Reformer
Ironically, farming is seldom a theme even in country music, but local farmer/musician intends to remedy that situation.
Murray Williams, a dairy and cash crop farmer from the Fairfield area between Scotland and Burford, is in the process of putting together a CD dedicated to farmers and the rural way of life.
Three of the nine songs on his debut solo CD are inspired by farming and its travails, including “Farmin’ Life” “Thank a Farmer” and “Farmer Joe”.
Aside from their entertainment value, Williams hopes the song serve an educational purpose.
“The general public doesn’t understand what we deal with”, he said.
Williams has grown up and now works a farm which has been in his family for 100 years. Williams and his brother Ken took over at a time when the livestock sector was in its darkest hour, particularly because of the outbreak of mad cow disease and plummeting commodity prices.
“I know people who had to sell their farms” Williams said.
But rather than brood about the future of farming and his family livelihood, he took inspiration from these downturns.
His songs illustrate the challenges of farming, but also celebrate the contributions and character of farmers.
Today, Williams said his family operation appears to have weathered the storm. And now he has a promising musical project to show for it.
Williams comes by his musical talent through his father, Bruce Williams who played the organ for 50 years at the Fairfield United Church. A sister also plays piano.
Locally, he’s played in the backup band for the Canadian Open Country Singing Contest held annually in Simcoe. He also plays gigs at rural festivals and fairs, as well as regular stints at the South Brant Legion with a group called Common Thread.
His reputation as a musician-singer is paying dividends as fans are already ordering his CD. He has approximately 100 units sold to date.
Would he ever consider a full-time musical career?
“A career would be alright but I’m not expecting miracles,” he said. “My heart has always been on the farm, but what happens in the country with farming will control my destiny." His CD is expected to be released early 2006.
