Mike Murphy (musician)

Michael J. Murphy was born in 1946 in Aurora, Illinois, the son of Jim and Mary Murphy. He began making music as a youngster with his father's band. During high school he was a drummer in the Vaqueros Drum and Bugle Corps. The Vaqueros disbanded in 1963 but he was a major influence in their drum section. He was in the band at East Aurora High School and was a quarterback on their football team, graduating in 1964. After a year at Doan College in Nebraska, he joined the U.S. Navy and served as an instructor in the Navy School of Music. He returned to Aurora in the early 70's and became an instructor at the Fox Valley Raiders Drum And Bugle Corps and was on their board of directors [1] He also played drums in the Ambassadors Band which included Bill Mickelberg (top, center) and Andy Waterman (on right) on guitar, Dick Jess on trombone, Mike on drums and Don Markese on the Sax.

He then became a professional musician in both Chicago and Los Angeles as a studio drummer, jingle producer, educator, live performer, and manufacturer, serving as Operations Director for DW drums. He toured five years with the Grammy Award-winning band Chicago as a drum and computer technician, bridging the gap into digital technology, developing protocol for use of sequencing in live performance; executing the same for Yanni and Manhattan Transfer.

In 1989, Mike became the drummer for the multi-award-winning Bee Gees, supporting their 1989 One for All World Tour after Chester Thompson left before the Gibb Brothers performed their One concert in St. Paul, Minnesota [2] promoting their album One.[3] They performed on four continents for a total of twenty-five concerts (eleven in Europe, six in Australia, two in Japan, and six in the U.S. He also performed with them on their four-CD box set, Tales from the Brothers Gibb.[4] He appears on the "One for All Tour concert film". He later married one of the backing vocalists/percussionists from the Bee Gees' One For All tour, Tampa Lann. He continued to live in California for many years.

Murphy with the Bee Gees in 1989

Murphy also recorded additional drums with the Bee Gees on their 1992 American hit single "When He's Gone" wherein future Eagles backup drummer and percussionist Scott Crago played the mainline drums. Trevor Murrell became the Bee Gees' drummer in 1992.

As a devoted husband, Mike moved to Cleveland, Ohio in 1994, to support his wife as caregiver for her Alzheimer-stricken mom. With his vast industry experience, he became a successful custom integrator of audio, video, lighting, and security systems for many elegant northeast Ohio homes, as well as sound reinforcement for concert halls, stadiums, arenas, museums, medical facilities, and many local churches, including Parkside Church and his own Hudson Community Chapel.

As a religious person, Mike professed faith in Jesus Christ and used his talents, with excellence and joy, to lead others into worship every Sunday from behind the church's drum set. His wife Tampa was also the church's pianist, choir director and chief singer.

Mike also worked as a project manager and professional audio and systems integration engineer for the prestigious NETEAM AVI before retiring from the same company to begin a full-time ministry position as director of media and production at his local church.

Mike succumbed to a lung complication on April 11, 2006 at the age of 60.[5][6][7] He was buried at Knollwood Cemetery in Mayfield Heights, Ohio, on April 18, 2006.[8]

Murphy in 1989

Murphy used the following

• DW drums
• Sabian Cymbals and Zildjian cymbals
• Vic Firth, Pro-mark, and Vater drumsticks