In Black America; Shirley Murdock (R&B Gospel Singer)

From the University of Texas at Austin, KUT Radio, this is In Black America. So for me to sing it, I said, I need to add these lyrics and then I feel good about recording it. And what I added to that song was, we should have counted up the cost, but instead we got lost in the second, in the minute, in the hour. Because I feel there's got to be some regret. You just can't put a song out there talking about infidelity and there's not being any consequences. So for me as we lay as not a celebratory song about infidelity, even though that is what got everybody's attention is still has everybody's attention 20 some years later. But the moral of it is that there's a price tag attached to every decision that you make in life. And maybe what you do is just doesn't affect you, but it affects everybody in your world, everybody that you affect. Because there are things that people are going through.

Season R&B gospel vocalist Shirley Murdoch has been on the journey. Murdoch started her career as a gospel singer in a hometown of Toledo, Ohio. Her career started changing direction when the late Roger Tropman hired her as a backup singer for his family group zap. As the band grew more successful scoring several hits. Tropman started recording track with her at his Dayton, Ohio recording studio. The duo's first single girl cut it out, charted at number 79 on the R&B charts in 1985. Success came quickly for Murdoch with the lease of herself title debut LP in 1986. After initial hit no more storm the dance charts, the tender ballot as we lay put her on the map in 1987 at at least number five on the R&B charts and did nightly on the top 40 and pop charts. Recently Murdoch has released her third gospel CD entitled Live the Journey. I'm John El Hanson, Jr. and welcome to another edition of In Black America. On this week's program

music legend Shirley Murdoch in Black America. Trouble often comes to destroy the dream within, hard to find a friend that wants to see you win. Anybody know what I'm talking about? Trouble often comes to destroy what we believe. The dream is on inside of me. The world is strong in spite of me. Through it all my dream it will survive. Oh God, gave me a dream that I would not. Oh God, can I, life, oh God. Show me, let me see your head, if you showed you your dream, there would not save the dream.

Cannot you, time, the sun. Show some dream, the dream. Whatever glimpse of yourself that God has shown you that he watches over his word to perform it. So here I, you know, it's a standing in the midst of Dr. Martin the King's dream. You know, we're living it out day by day. And then we have some legacy to leave behind for those people who are going to come behind us. We have to make our deposits into our society. So that our dreams can come to fruition and they can live out our dreams. So it was, it was absolutely wonderful. And just last week I had an opportunity to sing that song, dream with the National Symphony Orchestra under the direction with the conductor of Nolan Williams out of DC. And and Congresswoman Norton set it up and Colin Powell's wife was in the audience. And I mean, it was just that that's one of those memorable moments for me.

Back in the 1980s, Shirley Murdoch set out to become a gospel singer, but a path led to becoming a backup singer for the funk band Zap. Born on May 22nd, 1957 in Toledo, Ohio, she sharpened her gift in the choir of the Calvary Baptist Church. She gave her life to the Lord at age 15. Murdoch is part of a group of female singers, including Millie Jackson and Betty Wright, who were known for their songs that detail the intimate part of a woman's life in no uncertain terms. Band leader of the late Roger Trotman eventually snagged Murdoch a recording deal with electric records, where she recorded top 10 R&B hits such as As Relay, Go On Without You, Husband, and in your eyes. In 2000 Murdoch joined the cast of the gospel plague, be careful what you ask for. Then in 2002, Bishop T.D. Jakes make Murdoch's lifelong dream of recording a gospel CD of reality when he released a first gospel album, Home, a top 10 hit. Her first live concert CD, Live The Journey, was released in October

2011, recently in Black America's talk with Murdoch regarding her journey through life and music. Born and raised in Toledo, Ohio, and I grew up the fifth child of six, I was the baby girl, and I think I probably, as long as I remember living, walking and talking, I remember being able to sing for an absolutely a gift from God. My parents divorced when I was young, both of my parents are now with the Lord, but my family is very, very tight, so I'm a very, very family-oriented person. I grew up singing in church, singing in church choir, and met a man by the name of the late, great Roger Trotman, who really just has such an impact in my life, and gave me the opportunity to share my gift with the whole world. Being in R&B for many, many years, being in the music business for over 25 years, I learned a lot, I've accomplished a lot, I've been blessed, and done a lot of great things, I've had

a lot of great memories of the late, great Roger Trotman, who grew me up in the music business and taught me a lot of great lessons, he and his brother Larry, that I'm still chewing off of today. I was interested in reading some of the background information on some of the things that I did prior to becoming a radio announcer of actually manipulating and taking up all the time in the bathroom. What is it about that bathroom sound for expiring singers and radio announcements? Oh, that portion in there, man, every guy sound like Luther, and every woman sound like Celine Dionne or Whitney Houston or Beyonce, everybody sounds good, listen, nobody sounded bad in the bathroom. I understand. Who was some of the entertainers and singers that inspired you to become one? You know, I'm 54 years old, so most of my childhood was in the, I'm a child of the 60, you know,

60, 70s, that music era, and I grew up listening to a Rita Franklin, she was my all-time favorite. I remember being a little girl, you know, ran my hair back singing, don't send me no doubt there. Silly apples, I don't feel, got a man by the name of that to feel good, and just a little girl singing that song, and my mother was saying, baby, I know you don't know what you're singing about, but you sound like you do. And it's so funny, because today I hear like people come up to me and tell me how, you know, they were like a little kid, and they were singing as we lay in and mother made them stop singing it. But I mean, I grew up on a Rita Franklin and glad it's night and Stevie Wonder, and, you know, growing up in Toledo, you know, we're just down the street from Detroit, so very, very influenced by, you know, the Motown sound, and the Jackson 5, and being young kids, being successful, but, but being a little girl watching those Shirley Temple movies on those Saturday mat names, her name was Shirley, she could sing and dance, my name was Shirley,

I could sing and dance, I'm like, hey, one day that's going to be me, and it's amazing because I've seen that dream come true, and many of my dreams come true, you know, but that was the beginning of the dream, just wanted to be Shirley Temple. Having that dream of wanting to become a gospel singer, and your cousin takes a tape Yes, to Trapman, but he has no connections to the gospel music industry, and you began singing secular music, any trepidations of starting a secular recording career? Well, you know, I told Roger, thank you, but no thank you also, because, you know, being a born again Christian, you know, I thought that the path was going to lead me straight to gospel music, but you have to remember that back in those days, you know, opportunities aren't what they are, you know, today, it was gospel music was music, music, music is like a piece of pie, it was like a little small, just a little flither, you know, there wasn't

a lot of room on that ship, I know most of the people in gospel, like the Clark sisters, the winens, you know, before they were the winens, they were the testimonials, because the late Greg Dr. Maddie Moss Clark, you have twiggy, give me a call, and come up to Detroit and do the midnight musicals, so I hung with all of them, but they just, the opportunities just were not there. And so I had been offered secular music career time and time again, but I continue to turn it down. Like I said, I even turned Roger down, but he left that door open and said, you know, if you ever want to give us a chance, I want to help you. So you know, when I left Roger, John, I was thinking like, Lord, why is it this is the only door that's opening for me? So basically, John, I went through the door that God opened for me, and I also, when I looked over my life and looked at all the jobs that I held, being a Christian, it never changed who I was or who I was. You just take, I apologize, just be faithful in your station. You just do you wherever God plants you. So for me, it wasn't a matter of me leaving church, leaving the principles of godliness

to go into mainstream arena. I was just going to be who I was in mainstream arena, and that is my, that's been my life, my testimony is not that, you know, that if you go into mainstream, that you will lead a life of, you know, a crazy life of drugs and alcohol, because the troppmen family, they were, they were a family, but they were a drug free organization. So I went into, I was really in a very protective place, even in the music industry. So the door that God opened for me to be able to share my gift with the world, it was, it was really a safe haven. So my testimony is not drugs and alcohol, I've never done drugs, I don't drink. You know, it was not a life of degradation, you know, but it was, but my testimony is, is that the Holy Ghost of Kibi, if you want to be kept. So for me, it was an opportunity to let my light shine, you know, in the, in the music industry, to share my faith, to share my love of the Lord and just not be ashamed of who I am.

My very first CD that had as we lay on it, we were in the final mixing stages of the, of the album, I'm going that way, always through album, and I told Roger, I said, hey, buddy, you know, you got to stop the press. This cannot go out unless I put something to the Lord on this record because that's who I am. And he asked me that I have something prepared and I have a song on that very first CD that's called Tribute. And it simply says, I shall not forget what you've done for me. I shall not forget how you set me free everywhere I go. Everyone will know that Jesus lives within my soul. Thank you for this time to say it was on my mind, you're everything to me. So all of my R&B, all of my mainstream records, always had something inspirational because that's who I am. But the transition, if you want to call it a transition, happened when I met Bishop P.D. J. And I told him that I never had the opportunity to do a gospel record, you know, I may have appeared on some people's, I remember I did some work on preachy solo album called Power. But I never had, I was never, I never had, I was never offered a, you know, a recording

career, a recording contract. But I met Bishop P.D. J. J. and I did some work on several of his projects, one called Sacred Love Songs, The Storm is Over, The Leading Ladies, God's Leading Ladies, and he started a record company. He came to me and said, surely you said you never had an opportunity to sing gospel but I'm starting a record label and here's your opportunity. But John, I will find a Warner Brothers to do another R&B record. But I went to Roger and said, hey, buddy, I finally got an opportunity to sing gospel and I want to be released from Warner Brothers. So my friend, you know, got me released and I was released on paper December of 98 and Roger passed away, April of 99. So it's amazing, you know, just that timing, you know, but God does give you the desires of your heart. And here I am, I'm on my third gospel CD and it's called The Journey, it's live, my very first live project ever, Kelly Price is singing with me with Gina Bell and Beverly Crawford.

So really, really excited about that. And so, you know, God is just blessed, man, you know, God knows the place here. And now I know where the love goes to a perfect woman and it takes a supernatural love to even understand that beyond the wall behind the mask, I'm confident, smile. I was broken and trying to grow up in big life, where the world, and I know there were signs when you probably shouldn't, but I thank you for always loving me. And I know everyone else probably wouldn't love you for always loving me, Kelly Price, y'all. And I know there were days I look at myself, feel like less of a person compared to everyone else.

What about this flow to be too small, can I exchange, trying to make up for where I fell short, I let it slip away, and when I look at myself and I don't like what I see. No, no. I thank you for always loving me. No, no, I get bad, but you ain't crazy on me. I thank you for always loving me. I thank you Lord for always loving me. And I thank you for always loving me. You keep loving me. Ms. Marnakia mentioned earlier in the conversation as your signature hit as we lay, but obviously what was written and what was eventually released were not the same two songs.

As we lay was a song that was written by Larry Troutman and Billy Beck of the Ohio players and it was actually recorded and released with Billy Beck during the Lee Vocal. Roger had a group called The Human Body that he did a record on and Billy Beck was a part of that. And the record, you know, it never really hit. So a lot of times, you know, there are many great records that are recorded, but they never get into the ears of the people so the people never get a chance to really hear it. And probably one of the last songs I think to actually go on my first CD and I remember Roger and Larry coming to me and telling me, you know, we should really put this song on your record. And, you know, everybody in our camp thought it was a hit because it's like a soap opera. You know, either you're been through it or you're seeing it on a movie or it's something that everybody can relate to whether it's personally or vicariously. And so I remember having a lunch, having a lunch date with Larry and discussing, you know, the possibilities of putting a song on my record.

And I said, you know, I believe this is a hit song and I have no problem singing with it except for the fact that to me, as it stands, it doesn't seem like nobody's sorry about this thing. So for me to sing it, I said, I need to add these lyrics and then I feel good about recording it. And what I added to that song was we should have counted up the cost, but instead we got lost in the second, in the minute, in the hour because I feel there's got to be some regret. So for me, as we lay as not a celebratory song about infidelity, even though that is what got everybody's attention and still has everybody's attention 20 some years later. But the moral of it is that there's a price tag attached to every decision that you make in life. And maybe what you do is just doesn't affect you, but it affects everybody in your world, everybody that you affect because there are things that people are going through from generation to generation to generation, if somebody had stopped it, somebody said, okay, like for me, divorce was in my family for generations and generations.

But I had to come to a decision that the books don't stop here, in order for me to have something different, I have to do something different. And so there are generational things in your life, whether it be, you know, divorce, whether it be addictions, whatever it is, you got to make up in your mind. I've got to let the books stop here so that the generations to come will not be plagued with it and will not have that burden on their shoulder. So as we lay for me, it's a very, it's a very, it's a song about wisdom, getting the wisdom out of these two people's situation who made a mistake, who woke up the next morning, who were sorry, who had regret because people make permanent decisions based upon a temporary situation and it affects the rest of their life. So we have to think about consequences in the effects. And so as we lay situations are not only dealing with infidelity, as we lay a situation to be, you know, I see this, this bomb Gucci bag that I want and only got $40 in my account. Now if I write a check, for more than what's in there, the check is going to bounce.

So the life lesson in as we lay is don't, don't write a check that you're behind, can't get it. Oh wait It's helpful Now we can turn back the hidden time Yes, we've stolen this moment We forgot to face one simple fact We pulled along someone else As we slept the night away

It's morning Sunlight shines across your sleeping face The new day brings reality and we must go out Every way What a lovely night we had As we shared each other's love We forgot about all the pain we caused As we sent the night away As we lay We forgot about tomorrow as we lay

As we lay You didn't think about the price we'd have to pay Oh no, no, no, no, no, no, no It's morning And now it's time for us to say goodbye Goodbye, baby You're leaving me I know you got to hurry home to be young Wow Wow I would never, never want to hurt her now She would never understand You were long to repunge just one night

As we slept the night away Miss, what qualifications did you receive playing in the play? Be careful for what you pray for? Well, I had the opportunity to work with Cuba Gooding Senior and just so many wonderful people in the cast It was based out of St. Louis It was a great story that dealt with real life It's been several years ago But I think the great thing about the African American play the Gospel play circuit is that you have an opportunity to not only entertain people and to reflect real life stories But you have an opportunity to impart people with wisdom and with ministry and with encouragement and inspiration So people walked away, you know, they were entertained by the story itself They were definitely entertained and encouraged and inspired by the wonderful singing that happened But they walked away with some information

and with some strength that would help them in just an everyday life But I think it's one of the wonderful pluses about African American play because you can minister to people who might not necessarily come to the four walls of the church Lessons learn thus far in the recording industry You've been in this business for quite some time some of the changes good and bad Well, I think one of the things that I'm still chewing off of and that I'm still holding on to is a great lesson that Roger Trapman taught me when, as we lay, was on the top of the chart He said, I need you to come talk to me because that record can't stay up there And when I talked to here at Taraji, he said, you know, he said, as we lay as on the top of the chart but it can't stay there There's all those records that are up underneath are waiting to take that spot He said never let the record company or chart position determine your value He said, don't let that validate you He said, because he said, right now, you're the best thing since I was praying

He said, the record company's got your poster up You know, they'll name their kids after you But he said that when that record comes off the chart they're going to take your poster down Put somebody else's up and you'll be lucky if they accept your phone call And so he said, he said, this is what I need you to know He said, it's important to do a great record He said to do a great live performance But this is the keep, stay touchable to the people And they will support you for the rest of your life You have to decide, do you want to hit record or do you want to, or do you want to career Do you want staying power? Do you want to stay around for years to come And I'll tell you, John, that is my testimony Being touchable to the people Whether I have a record on the chart or not The people have been the ones who support me You know, they buy the CDs, they come to the plays They buy the DVDs You know, when I'm missing in a church They come and they have supported me And my career has been viable And I'm still here Number one, because of the goodness and the grace of God

But I understand that I know what side my bread is buttered on Meaning that these wonderful people Who may go to a nine to five That they don't even like going to They will take their hard earned money They'll take their gas bill money You know, their phone bill money, their hair deed money Their nails money, whatever And they will come and they will support me for years and years and years So it's so important for me to take out that time You know, to take a picture, to sign that autograph I've talked to them, my mom on the phone, whatever Because these people have supported me And I couldn't do what I do without them So that's a very, very important life lesson That Roger passed on to me And I try to pass it forward to the young people And the music industry that I come across You know, I remember sharing those things with people like Jennifer Hudson And, you know, just some of my industry babies You know that I come across You know, people like Gladys Knight and Patty LeBelle You know, they embraced me and loved on me as a young artist And I just try to pass it forward

And it encourages them to pass it forward So a lot of great lessons learned from Roger Troutman, he taught me well Come here and laugh You know, I've been searching for someone Who can share that special love with me And you guys can have that glow Legendary R&B and gospel singer Shirley Murdoch

If you have questions, comments, or suggestions ask your future in Black America programs email us at jhanssenhans.org Also, let us know what radio station you heard us over The views and opinions expressed on this program are not necessarily those of this station or of the University of Texas at Austin You can hear previous programs online at kuc.org Until we have the opportunity again for technical producers today with Alvarans I'm John L. Hanson Jr. Thank you for joining us today Please join us again next week CD copies of this program are available and may be purchased by writing in Black America CDs KUT radio, one university station, Austin, Texas, 78712 That's in Black America CDs, KUT radio, one university station, Austin, Texas, 78712 This has been a production of KUT radio