Growing up, I recall there was always music in our home. Our Mom had her own professional career until she was married, and continued singing at home or family parties especially when we would all get together. When we visited our Uncle Paul (her brother) and Aunt Gladys in Hartford, Mom always brought her guitar and Uncle Paul would get his out as well and they would sing. Like Mom, Uncle Paul truly loved the music as do his girls, Diane, Laurel and Lynn.
When we went on our annual vacation to Maine, it was her other siblings who played music and sang with her: Uncle Mack and Aunt Salina. And when Uncle Chet came to visit us, it was always a lot of fun as he always sang funny songs like his own version of Golden Slippers and, Ty-Yi-Yippee-O. (Don't worry, Carol, I won't post the lyrics!)
My grandfather, Peter (Pépé) was a self-taught musician and also taught his children how to play instruments as well. It was wonderful to hear those guitars, fiddle and mandolin being played as everyone would sing. Those big family get-togethers were the best and the music went on and on. The tradition has been passed down through generations and the music lives on through all the grandchildren.
When I was in the second grade, Mom decided I should learn how to harmonize. It took a little time before I could stay on my own tune without crossing over to her melody line. She would fuss at me and say, "Bonnie, you're on my tune!" I think I may have tried her patience as to her it was so easy. But once it finally clicked in my head, I automatically heard it in every song. In fact, I think I may have said the same thing to Gary and my daughter, Paula, when trying to teach them to harmonize. I still love to harmonize with people or music I hear on the radio or TV.
In the beginning, our family consisted of Mom, Dad, my two sisters, Roxie and Shari and me. Years later, Vickie, Kelly and Gordon were born, 9 years in between - Finally Dad had his boy! And that surely changed the dynamic in our home. How would you like to be a boy growing up in a house full of petticoats? Lots of little mothers always hovering about. But grow up he did into a wonderful man, husband and father.
When Roxie and I were in our pre-teens, Roxie also learned how to harmonize and we started singing together. We sang together all the time even while doing the dishes. Together, we won a 1st place trophy at a 4-H competition. Not to be left behind was sister Shari who wanted to be a part of our group, and The Murphy Sisters Trio was born.
We began singing for fun for family and friends with Barbershop music. Dad and Mom had a friend named Bob who sang in a Barbershop quartet, and we had heard him with his quartet perform at various events, so Dad thought we should learn some of those songs as they had distinctive harmony parts. Shari took the lead, Roxie took upper harmony and I took bass as no one else wanted it. We were singing songs like Googbye, My Coney Island Baby, Wait Till The Sun Shines Nellie, Oh Eveline and Mr. Moon just to name a few. As we progressed, we learned current pop tunes such as Dream by the Everley Brothers and other hit songs of the time.
Roxie was our announcer as she spoke so well, Shari added humor always seeing something funny in everything, and me, the serious musician and leader.
It wasn't long before we were entering in talent contests and winning. We were receiving a lot of recognition and publicity and were asked to perform for many events throughout the state of CT.
Folk music hit the music scene and was all the rage with events called Hootenannies and they were popping up everywhere. We were invited to perform at many of these events and actually got paid. We also performed for the local Bandstand show in New Haven and for many fairs including our hometown fair, The Durham Fair. Our repetoire grew with songs like Lizzy Borden, Greenfields, Tom Dooley, Michael Row Your Boat, and The MTA. Continually learning new songs meant rehearsals, and I will admit I may have been a bit bossy at times. (Shari says very bossy!) It was serious to me and when Roxie wanted to do something else, or Shari started joking around, I insisted we work harder. I wanted us to be really good, and our family harmony blended so well.
There was another group we often ran into when we were performing called The McGowen Brothers. They were excellent with their music and harmonies. I wanted us to match them in talent and performance. And I must say, we did hold our own.
At one particular performance being held at Wesleyan University in Middletown, CT, we were performing for a private event. When it was over, we learned that there were a couple of guys entertaining in the library, so we walked over to see what it was all about. It was this little known duo called the Smothers Brothers. The room was full with students even sitting on the floor listening. Everyone totally enjoyed their act even when Tommy Smothers would interrupt the song and have something funny to say. They were entertaining and very talented keeping the audience with them every step of the way. Who knew they would become so famous and have their own TV show!
Our parents were very proud of us, especially our Dad. Unlike Mom, Dad couldn't carry a tune or whistle in key though he whistled all the time. He did have a knack for knowing when a song would hit the Top Ten and suggested we learn it. When people would ask him what he played after seeing Mom sing and play, he would say he played the radio and TV.
There were times we would be in a restaurant and he would secretly whisper in the owner's ear. The next thing I knew, someone was inviting The Murphy Sisters to come to the front of the room, stage or no stage, and sing. One of Dad's favorite songs was called Personality and Shari really lit up the room with her performance. She was cute, funny and sang it exceedingly well. Roxie and I were merely backup singers and filled the song with our harmonies with that song.
I recall one night, in particular, we were at a restaurant called the Monte Green Inn in Middletown, CT and our Uncle Chet was visiting. Dad did one of his numbers, and we were asked to sing. Shari did her specialty song, Personality, which was received with great applause, but after the song she decided she wanted to tell a joke that she had overheard our Uncle Chet telling our parents. She began, "There was this traveling salesman who stopped at a farmer's house and ended up spending the night. Now the farmer had a pretty young daughter.....", and on she went to tell the story. My mother was horrified, and said to my Dad, "Willis! Go up there and get her right now!" Shari didn't really know what the gist of the story meant as she was 9 or 10 years old at the time, but she had seen everyone get a big laugh at home, and she wanted to get one too. Needless to say, she didn't get to finish her story, but the audience did get a big laugh when Dad rescued her. Uncle Chet thought it was a hoot! Shari is still that bubbly, out-going, funny lady today. It's her natural personality and I love her for it.
During one of the music competitions, we won, and the prize was to go to West Virginia for a larger competition and win a chance to be on the TV show Hootenanny, but we were unable to go. As time progressed, I got involved with a Rock 'N Roll band called The Monochords and each of the girls found their way in other directions. But, throughout our lives, we always loved to sing together when we were visiting each other or at family events. I especially loved it when we all got together at brother Gordon and Tracy's and sang around the campfire. The old songs filled the air and we always laughed a lot.
One year, our Mom was in a very bad car accident when the car hit a moose while traveling on an old dark country road during bad weather while in Maine. She was thrown out of the car and her companion, Vaughn, didn't make it as he was crushed. Gary and I were in MA at the time visiting friends when we got the call. I immediately flew to Maine and went to the hospital where Mom remained unconscious for 5 days. As those days passed, my sisters, brother and family wondered if she would make it and a lot of praying was going on during this period. Our Aunt Salina came to the hospital as did cousins and friends. On the 5th day, as we were keeping our vigil around her hospital bed, I said to everyone, let's sing to her. We all started singing one of her favorite songs that she would always sing called, Little Green Valley. Suddenly, she opened her eyes and gazed at all of us standing around her bed. She was wondering why we were all gathered there singing to her. As we told her she had been in a car accident, she said that she hadn't remembered a thing. And it would be days before anyone let her know about Vaughn.
During the weeks and months that followed, Mom went through a lot of therapy and rehab, as she had damaged her vocal cords badly in the accident, and she thought she would never be able to sing again. But God was on her side and answered her prayers. She said she was dreaming that she was singing, and woke up in the morning and sang a song. She called me immediately and sang to me over the phone. I got so emotional, I cried. I believe a miracle had happened and prayers were answered. She went on to put together another band and continued her career performing at a multitude of events.
Though Roxie is now with the angels with our mother and father, Shari and I still sing together now and then, laughing and remembering the old times. Both Vickie and Kelly can play guitar and will sing if we are in a group, and brother Gordon is singing up a storm and playing guitar learning new songs all the time. Why, you might even get Tracy to sing a song with Gordon which is such a cute song called, Never Gonna Let Him Go. They are great together and a lot of fun!
Traveling all over the world, there is one thing I have learned - music is the universal language. Regardless of culture or language, people love music!
Here is the song Little Green Valley which Mom recorded at Rockin' Ron's studio in CT. Enjoy!
Note - If you noticed from our pictures, Mom always thought we should dress alike and in the photo on the left, she had made our skirts.