Four years in the United States cemented Dan Murphy’s resolve to return to Australia and make a career out of country music. As a youngster, Dan had cut his teeth on country, singing in the family band. He grew up on a large cattle station in outback NSW and by the time he’d reached high school, his consuming passion was country music.
 
Then, just like the young man who left the farm after an argument with his father in Where There’s A Road, Dan left his Cobar home under spookily similar circumstances. He ended up travelling around America, chasing good country music, driving trucks, breaking horses and becoming more determined than ever to achieve his goal.
 
When Dan heard Robbie Fulks sing Where There’s A Road, he totally related to the young bloke who’d left his home in Georgia, only to become “wired to the wheel” driving down the blacktop. “I reckon if we swapped the Georgia man for a Cobar man it would be a perfect fit!,” Dan said.
 
Returning to Australia, Dan’s ambition was further fuelled through success in competitions at the Gympie Muster, Mud Bulls and Music Festival and the Tamworth Country Music Festival. The road he’d travelled led Dan straight to the doors of Jeff McCormack’s Music Cellar Studio where he laid down the tracks for his debut album, Country Boy.
 
The result is 12 fresh new tracks from this outback debutant, who works as a retained firefighter when he’s not singing country music. And – you’d go a long way to find more proficient musicians than those who took part in these sessions – Michel Rose, Glenn Wilson, Rod McCormack, Jeff McCormack, Brendan Radford, Ash Cawse, Scott Shelley, Katrina Burgoyne and Luke Moller. Not only did he contribute some fine guitar work, Michael Muchow also produced the disc.
 
Now living in Gunnedah, near Tamworth, Dan is much in demand on the national rodeo and campdraft circuit as an entertainer. He takes his high quality act to hotels and clubs as well as special events around the country.
 
Dan’s music is a fine mix of traditional country, contemporary and country rock. Drawing inspiration from Randy Travis, Garth Brooks, Alan Jackson, Johnny Cash, Toby Keith, Tim McGraw, Slim Dusty and Keith Urban, Dan has added some crowd pleasing originals to his expanding repertoire.
 
Watch out for Country Boy at your favourite record store. The first single, Where There’s A Road, has already hit the airwaves.