Press Release- January 12^th, 2007

America’s best selling Cowboy singer teams up with Sonora’s Black Irish Band!

    On January 26^th, Michael Martin Murphey went into the studio and recorded the original songs of Patrick Michael Karnahan for the soon to be re-released Black Irish Band CD album, From the Forest.  The band’s 15^th original album project has been sold out for months and the band decided to reformat the album to include special guest performers and the use of a full symphony.  The album was originally released for the United States Forest Services Centennial and performances at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival & Kennedy Center in 2005.

    Murphey became a fan of the band’s music over a year ago when a friend of the Black Irish, Nic Cochoppo, gave him a copy of the bands 12^th album release, “Into the Arms of the Sea”.  Lead Guitarist for Murphey, Paul Sadler, said “We listened to that CD on every road trip and could sing every word of those songs”.   When Murphey learned that the band was interested in having him as a guest artist, he was delighted to work on the project. When Michael Martin Murphey performed at a recent Tuolumne County venue the timing was right and the recordings were made.  Twain Harte resident, Leroy Bumgarner, had the task of recording the lead vocals and spoken words that will be featured on the new From the Forest CD.

    The most exciting aspects about working with Murphey, according to songwriter Patrick Michael Karnahan, was the fact that he bought his big music release Wildfire when he was only thirteen years old and played that song over and over again.  “His music was the mountains and forest to me and always took me on a journey to the wilderness”-Karnahan.  The only thing that Murphey require in payment of Karnahan was a personnel drive to his next performance. As it ended up, Karnahan and fellow Black Irish Band member David Rainwater became a part of Michael Martin Murphey Band, performing  shows at Fairfield, California & Carson City, Nevada.  “Murph wanted us to continue with him all the way to the Elko Cowboy Festival, but our jobs would not allow us the time”- David Rainwater.
    The relationship between the Black Irish Band and Michael Martin Murphey is far from over according to Karnahan.  In the process of recording, Michael became aware of the band’s music video, Into the Fire.  The song and film is dedicated to the Wildland Firefighters of America.  “Michael felt very strongly about making the video a bigger statement by performing with the band and helping with the production”-Karnahan.   The goal according to Karnahan, would be to bring the film up to the standards of Country Music Television and make it available to the United States Forest Service.

    The 15^th CD album titled, From the Forest by the Black Irish Band, contains eleven original songs with the addition of “Smokey the Bear”.   The new edition will be released in the spring of 2007 and will also include newly composed symphonic scores.