Working-class musician Mike Murray releases new record

At one point in his young career, Whitefish musician Mike Murray was so sure he needed to be in Nashville, Tenn., he all but moved his family 2,000 miles across the country. Countless other musicians had cut their teeth working the live venues along the Music City riverfront — Murray was ready to be the next.

“I was 98 percent certain we would move there,” Murray, 28, told the Pilot in a recent interview.

He was looking at houses in the area and even set up his cell phone with a Nashville number. Yet, as he explored the town and felt out the music scene, an uneasy feeling overcame him.

Murray needed to be in Montana — he needed to go home.

“The week we spent there, I felt it wasn’t the right place and time,” he said.

There were no “working class” musicians in Nashville — a description that fits Murray to a tee. A gifted singer and songwriter with a strong stage presence, Murray is, by his own admission, still developing his sound.

Nashville could wait.

“In Nashville, you’re either waiting tables or you’re Tim McGraw,” Murray said.

“The thing I appreciate about Whitefish — there are a lot of opportunities to play and be a working-class artist. Play and pay some bills.”

Murray, born and raised in the valley, is doing exactly that these days as he promotes his second album “Balance and Rhythm,” released last month.

Working with producers and engineers from Emmy and Grammy winning Immersive Studios out of Boulder, Colo., Murray’s explores his grittier side in the new record. He pulls from influences such as The Black Keys, Led Zeppelin, White Stripes and Jimi Hendrix.

“Balance and Rhythm” is in stark contrast to his acoustic solo debut record “International” released in 2011, which he describes as having “gentler sensibilities.”

“I was still finding my feet as a musician,” Murray said about “International.” “The new record is more me doing what I love and not trying to figure out what people want.”

He showcased the new record at a show last month at Crush Lounge. The loft bar in downtown Whitefish was packed before the show — a testament to his local fan support.

With Chris Krager on bass and Mark Miller on drums, Murray opened the show with authority. Within two songs the dance floor was bouncing.

It’s obvious Murray thrives with an electric guitar in his hands. His stage presence draws in the audience as he loses himself in deep solos on top of a driving beat.

“To be able to jam with a band has made me love playing music again,” Murray said. “It gives me that raw joy.”

“Personally, I’m a quiet and reserved guy. People who know me are surprised to see me in a rock and roll context.”

Still, Murray finds a way to seamlessly transition between the deep electric guitar solos from “Balance and Rhythm” to the softer sounds of “International.”

“It’s becoming natural to switch back and forth,” he said. “I have all the acoustic that I’ve written and released, some edgy blues and rock, and also pop-rock stuff that is unreleased.”

How does it all fit?

“The conclusion is that it doesn’t have to,” he said. “The variety is nice. I’ve embraced having different facets of my work.”

Murray is already crafting a third album, which he says may shift slightly more toward the pop side.

For now, he’s planning a tour of the West while playing more and more shows locally.

It’s possible for a musician to make a living here, he said, but not without hard work — a challenge Murray seems more than willing to take on.

“I love Montana,” he said. “There’s no place I’d rather live.”

Murray’s new record is available on iTunes. Visit his website at www.mikemurraytunes.com.