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<\/a>Brian and The Man Himself, Lionel Hampton. Photo from the autobiography, \u201cA Collection of Life Stories \/ Lived by Vincent Brian Murphy.\u201d<\/p><\/div>\n
The studio audience erupted, and from that moment on, everything changed in the blink of an eye. The Beatles opened their first set with “All My Loving,” followed by “Til There Was You” and “She Loves You\u201d followed by their second set performing \u201cI Saw Her Standing There\u201d and \u201cI Want to Hold Your Hand.\u201d Our world was forever changed in the instant of that moment. <\/p>\n
Being profoundly inspired, in the summer of 1965 between sixth and seventh grade, Brian Murphy, a longtime resident of the Valley area in Sayre, Pa., became determined to form a rock and roll band.<\/p>\n
Brian gathered friends Scott Armstrong, Pebble Stone, David Walker, and Kevin McNamara with the resolute vision of forming a rock and roll band, asked each of us what we wanted to play, and proceeded to teach us to play, as none of us had ever played a musical note or instrument. <\/p>\n
Being influenced by the quiet Beatle George Harrison, Scott wanted to play guitar, Dave chose bass guitar, Kevin the organ, Pebble stepped up as the frontman and lead vocalist, rounded out with Brian on drums and backup vocals.<\/p>\n
So began The Five More (later to be renamed Crimson Sensation) and, yes, Brian taught us all – incredible! David Rae joined on keyboards along the way, also being self-taught and adding incredible vocal range, while Pebble picked up a Gretsch Tennessean, adding rhythm guitar to Five More\u2019s repertoire.<\/p>\n
<\/a>Five More, with friend Leigh Wheeler.<\/p><\/div>\n
The Five More\u2019s premiere engagement, and first paying gig, was in 1966 in the Athens High School cafeteria, and featured such chart-toppers and fan favorites as Louie Louie, House of the Rising Sun, G-L-O-R-I-A, You Really Got Me, Woolly Bully, and enough others to fill two sets over two and a half hours. The band made $25. Somewhere along their musical journey, Five More became Crimson Sensation; but one thing remained constant – Brian selected the setlist, figured out all of the chord progressions, and scored all of the arrangements.<\/p>\n
Other notable engagements included the SCI Hall in Towanda, the South Waverly borough hall, which we could rent for $75 and pay two security guards (a requirement) $25 each for a three-hour gig, cost of admission $1 dollar; the Brush and Pallet in Candor, N.Y. before an empty house; our biggest gig at The Old Mill in Towanda where we were on the same bill as Ronnie Dio and the Prophets; and the Paddock Room in Waverly serving as our final, and best performance in the summer of 1971, prior to our going to college.<\/p>\n
<\/a>An old poster from The Old Mill in Towanda, Pa., where Crimson Sensation was featured on the same bill as Ronnie Dio and the Prophets.<\/p><\/div>\n
Lest we not forget with heartfelt gratitude to the band\u2019s dedicated roadies, Brian\u2019s \u201cadopted\/ proxy\u201d father Earle E. Armstrong, Jr. and close family friend Bill Scheithauer, who faithfully and tirelessly drove us to and from all of our gigs in the Armstrong Music House Ford Econoline van. <\/p>\n
Brian was born in Athens, Pa. on June 22, 1953 to Isabelle Loveland Murphy and graduated from Athens High School (AHS) Bulldog class of 1971 where he participated in all musical and choral curriculum. Brian also played varsity football, wearing number 34 making his very formidable presence known at the position of linebacker. One cannot forget halftimes where Brian forsook his intermission breather by joining the AHS marching band, leading the percussion section in football pants and pads, spikes, marching band tunic, and parade hat. Brian lettered in each of his five years as a member of the band, along with each of his two years of varsity football.<\/p>\n
Upon graduation from AHS, Brian attended Clark University in Worcester, Mass. to pursue his initial interest in psychology, followed by attaining a B.A. degree in Professional Music from the esteemed Berklee College of Music in Boston Mass., under the mentorship of world-renowned vibraphonist Gary Burton.<\/p>\n
<\/a>Roadie’s adopted father Earle Armstrong and Bill Scheithauer, and the Armstrong Music House Tour Bus in this photo.<\/p><\/div>\n
Brian later served as a member of the Berklee faculty. Postgraduate studies at Ithaca College School of Music, including contributing as an adjunct professor in the footsteps of his grandmother Ida Loveland, who graduated from the Ithaca Conservatory and went on to teach piano and voice in the valley; the circle remains unbroken. Brian also took five semesters of Jazz studies at The Eastman School of Music in Rochester, N.Y. and three semesters at Binghamton University, where he also contributed as an adjunct professor. <\/p>\n
In his own words, Brian so aptly characterized his educational journey as, \u201cI was in and out of college until I was thirty-four. I\u2019m still taking online courses at sixty-seven. If I\u2019d matriculated correctly, I\u2019d have three doctorates!\u201d <\/p>\n
Continuing on with his musical career and legacy, Brian returned to the Valley by confidently announcing in the Sayre Evening Times classifieds, \u201cBrian Murphy is offering music lessons, any instrument.\u201d Brian taught as many as 11 students a day, and none more memorable than that of Tim Carl as featured in the Lifestyles Section of the Towanda Daily Review in an article, \u201cMaking Music \/ Disability enhances Valley man\u2019s talents,\u201d written by Correspondent and Owego Pennysaver Editor Wendy Post.<\/p>\n
<\/a>\u201cThe Beat Goes On!\u201d<\/p><\/div>\n
The article highlights Brian\u2019s poignant 15-year teaching and mentorship of student and valley resident Tim Carl, who was born with a rare neurodevelopment disorder known as Williams Syndrome, and for which Tim possessed two of its symptoms \u2013 a love for music and perfect pitch. <\/p>\n
Sharing his love for the drums, Brian said of Tim\u2019s abilities, \u201cTim has the most natural drum stroke I have ever heard. The only stuff Tim can\u2019t play is the stuff he hasn\u2019t heard.\u201d<\/p>\n
And then there was the typical weekend lineup: improv jazz ensemble at Green Pastures in Elmira, N.Y. on Friday night, accompanying the Sgro Brothers Harmonica Band on drums Saturday afternoon; Saturday night at the Pig Swallow Hollow in Lowman, N.Y. for three solid sets of head-banging rock and roll and brewskis; and to cap it off playing organ for Sunday morning mass at the Epiphany Catholic church in Sayre, Pa. Brian was the organist serving both Epiphany Catholic Church and St. John\u2019s Catholic Church in South Waverly, Pa. for 30 years. <\/p>\n
<\/a>From Brian\u2019s CD release and premiere at the Sayre Theater.<\/p><\/div>\n
The pinnacle of Brian\u2019s career has to recognize his CD release, \u201cBehind Bars,\u201d which premiered at the Sayre Theater in Sayre, Pa. and \u201cSolstice at the Cathedral,\u201d at St. Paul\u2019s Cathedral in Syracuse, N.Y. for which Brian arranged and directed the entire score in collaboration with Joe Whiting. <\/p>\n
Later joined by lifelong friends David Rae on keyboards and Don Flynn on rhythm guitar, Brian formed and anchored the SPEXXX Band, playing bass guitar and sharing lead vocals with David Rae.<\/p>\n
For the final engagement of Brian\u2019s musical legacy, recognition and appreciation are gratefully deserving of Yanuzzi\u2019s Restaurant in Sayre, Pa., and in particular Mark Yanuzzi for hosting Brian\u2019s Thursday night primetime piano hour. This gave Brian immeasurable joy and sustained his love and passion for performing live music through every ounce of his breath and soul until his untimely passing on Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024 at the age of 71. <\/p>\n
With his passing, Brian leaves us with a lifetime of countless musical accomplishments, a legacy of students and musicians forever influenced by his love of music and commitment to perfection, an incomparable portfolio of work, and an incomprehensible wealth of lifetime achievement.<\/p>\n
In Brian\u2019s own words from the autobiography, \u201cA Collection of Life Stories \/ Lived by Vincent Brian Murphy,\u201d gifted to him by Sarah:<\/p>\n
In his autobiography, Brian was quoted as saying, \u201cWhen I first got it, I was afraid of it. I didn\u2019t even set it up for six months. The first time I played it was on a Jerry Breese recording.\u201d <\/p>\n Brian cherished all of his drums and his Warwick bass guitar, specially ordered from Germany and paid for in cash at the Guitar Center in Johnson City, N.Y. <\/p>\n Brian\u2019s idea of perfect happiness: \u201cI\u2019m not sure what perfect happiness is, but I think it might involve chocolate. Actually, my idea of perfect happiness is spending time with Caroline, Eli, Sarah, Travis, and my lovely wife Mary, and pursuing my music.\u201d <\/p>\n<\/a>Brian\u2019s favorite possessions: the Steinway Brothers baby grand piano purchased by great-uncle Wallace in 1918 and passed through the generations to Brian by his mother Isabelle; The Grand Daddy of the Vibraphone: The Musser Century Vibraphone bought from the man himself, Lionel Hampton, with whom Brian\u2019s jazz ensemble The Jazz Carpenters got a gig warming up Lionel\u2019s Big Band at Hickories Park in Owego, N.Y., and they quickly became close friends. <\/p>\n