Famed ‘Cowboy Christmas Ball’ returns to Texas State

Posted by Jayme Blaschke
University News Service
November 21, 2007

Michael Martin Murphey’s famed “Cowboy Christmas Ball” returns to Texas State University-San Marcos for the 2007 holiday season with an 8 p.m. show Friday, Nov. 30 in Strahan Coliseum.

Murphey will be joined by the Texas State Symphony Orchestra, which he previously collaborated with for performances of “Cowboy Christmas Ball,” “Sagebrush Symphony” and “Cowboy Christmas: Orchestral, Part I.” Ticket prices are $25 for reserved/VIP seating, $10 for general admission.

The Texas State engagement marks the only time Murphey performs his entire “Cowboy Christmas Ball” outside of its traditional Anson venue. The Central Texas Cowboy Christmas Ball features the original orchestral accompaniment by Orchestra Director Howard Hudiburg and the entire Texas State Symphony Orchestra.

“Cowboy Christmas Ball” is presented by the University Performing Arts Committee and the Student Association for Campus Activities, with the sponsorship of Grande Communications.

To purchase tickets, visit www.encoreseries.txstate.edu/ online or call (512) 245-3501.

About Michael Martin Murphey

Murphey is the best-selling singer of American Cowboy music today, as well as one of the best-selling, award-winning winning artists in pop and country music. His legendary song "Wildfire," a monster crossover hit from 1975, is one of the most played songs in the history of radio. He is also an actor, film producer, director, environmental award-winning rancher, writer and seminar teacher in American studies and music.

While attending UCLA in the late '60s, he became one of the instigators of the Alternative Country and Western scene in Southern California. His friends in the same music scene included John McEuen and Jeff Hannah of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Don Henley of the Eagles, Linda Ronstadt, Roger Miller, Buck Owens, Michael Nesmith of the Monkees, and many others. Returning to Texas, he helped spark the Austin music scene, inspiring Willie Nelson and Jerry Jeff Walker to move there. His first album, Geronimo's Cadillac was recognized by Rolling Stone as a classic when Chet Flippo pronounced him "the best new singer-songwriter in America."

Self-taught in music, Murphey currently serves as an adjunct professor of music and American studies at Utah State University, where he consults with the faculty and teaches workshops and seminars. He specializes in teaching songwriting from an historical and cultural perspective.

Murphey is a five-time award winner in the National Cowboy Hall of Fame, taking home the award for Best Album (Cowboy Songs Vol. 4) and Best Song (Summer Rangers, from Cowboy Songs Vol. 4) in 1999 from the Academy of Western Artists. He also founded Westfest, a festival celebrating cowboys, Indians, country and western music, rodeo, western art and the world of the American west.