*** ( out of four stars)
- "Wildfire" has to be one of the most romantic and favorite songs of all time. The song about a ghost horse was written in 1968, recorded in the 1970s, and is still beloved today.
The writer and singer of "Wildfire," Michael Martin Murphy, appeared at Sellersville Theater on Wednesday evening and I was there.
"Wildfire" was written from a dream. Murphy dreamed the entire song- lyrics and melody- one night and simply wrote it all down when he woke up. Imagine a million-selling and enduring hit song, all finished for you one morning!
It was a rare appearance by the "Cosmic Cowboy" himself here in Pennsylvania. Murphy lives in the mountains of Colorado and New Mexico, and he generally stays out west. In fact, he entertains at his ranch in New Mexico all summer. He invited the not-quite- sold out crowd in Sellersville to come visit him sometime.
Murphy went acoustic, which was fine to me. He is a really good guitarist. Despite at times have a raspy cough through the two hour night ( interrupted by a short intermission)Murphy was in fine voice, especially for a 74-year old.
Dressed in jeans and cowboy shirt and black cowboy hat, Murphy played mostly hits and pop during the first half. Sings like "A Long Line Of Love" and "What's Forever For" rang familiar tones. He paid a sweet tribute to friend John Denver by doing "Boy From The Country" in combination with 'Take Me Home, Country Roads."
Murphy shared many of his thoughts about just about everything, from his songwriting to his songs, but especially talking lovingly about the country, the West, the mountains and how much he loves living in nature. Maybe it was a little too much conversation and not enough music at times, but Murphy endeared himself to the mostly older crowd.
The second half was less enthusiastically received, as Murphy drew into his vast catalogue of cowboy songs. They were nice to hear but would probably go over better in Texas. The beloved singer even threw in some Native American chats and wildlife sounds, such as the howling wind and chirping crickets.
Speaking of which, Murphy's wife, a Native American as he proudly pointed out, was at the show. In fact, Cindy was sitting directly in front of us near the stage. She was cute, petite and seemed far younger than Murphy. She cheered, took numerous pictures, and was totally focused on her talented man.
Michael saved the best for last, the song most fans came to hear live- "Wildfire." It was done beautifully, with Murphy hitting all the high notes he needed to hit. A standing ovation followed the song.
It was a fine performance by an excellent singer/songwriter who is proud to be remembered like Roy Rogers was: as a singing cowboy.
Personally, it was a memorable night. Holly and I were in the pre-concert Meet and Greet. There were roughly tweleve fans who paid a few dollars to meet Murphy before the show. The event happened right in the theater in front of the stage area.
We were last to meet him. He is a friendly, soft-spoken guy, with sharp blue eyes, a weather-beaten face, and long, silver hair underneath the hat. He still wears a nicely trimmed beard.
We took pictures and he signed anything ( one fan has a hobby of getting autographs on baseballs and brought at least three baseballs for signatures).
What floored me was when Michael knelt down in front of me and politely asked why I was in a wheelchair. I briefly explained about my brittle bone condition, and he shared the surprising fact that he knew, as his 19-year-old granddaughter named Fiona also has Osteogenisus Imperfecti.
What were the odds that such a rare condition would bond us?
Anyway, Fiona is attending American University in Washington, D.C. majoring in Computers. She has had a similar history to me- numerous broken bones in many ways, sometimes by merely coughing or sneezing too hard.
Michael actually asked for my address, phone number and email, and wants to "keep in touch." I want to learn more about his O.I. Foundation, which helps people with O.I. and their families. For instance, a special shower chair, a medical necessity and a valuable asset to just one's daily life, is not covered by insurance. These special items are expensive, and it's terrific he has a foundation to help.
So that was a bonus of our night in Sellersville, not only seeing a great concert but making a new friend in the process- the legendary Michael Martin Murphy.
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