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With more than three decades of music making, Willie Murphy has forged a unique musical legacy as a singer, songwriter, producer, arranger, performer, multi-instrumentalist and record label founder (Atomic Theory), to name just a few of the many hats he wears. Murphy’s 1969 collaboration with folk-blues legend "Spider" John Koerner, Running, Jumping, Standing Still, originally recorded for Electra and recently reissued on Red House Records, is acclaimed as an all-time folk-blues classic. Among "Running, Jumping’s" fans was a still unknown Bonnie Raitt. She hired Willie to produce her first album in 1971 on Warner Brothers Records. Accompanying her was Murphy’s band, Willie and the Bees, along with Chicago Blues legends Junior Wells and A.C. Reed. Throughout the 70’s and 80’s, the political, poetical, and always hip, Willie and the Bees, mixed reggae, jazz, blues, funk, R&B and rock to set the standard for bands to come. Willie and the Bees also shared the stage with R&B luminaries Wilson Pickett, Muddy Waters, James Brown, WAR, John Lee Hooker, the Neville Brothers, Etta James, Eric Clapton, Joe Cocker and backed the likes of Dr. John and countless others. Willie Murphy was named as one of the three charter members of the Minnesota Music Hall of Fame, along with Bob Dylan and Prince. Over the years, the nationally known and respected Minnesota Music Association has given more nominations and awards to Willie and his groups than anyone else. This trend continues to this day. In 1996, Willie Murphy & the Angel-Headed Hipsters were named the Best Blues Band of the Year by the MMA. When performing before a dancing crowd, Willie and the Angel-Headed Hipsters deliver classic R&B, funk, blues and rock -- real blues power honed by years of experience kindled by an abiding affection for the music.
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