Sean Murphyhas a musical resume dating back to the late 1960s, which, as you might expect from the era, includes a Detroit-produced hair. The role landed her a contract with Motown Records in 1971, and she went on to tour and record with Bob Seger, Eric Clapton, and other luminaries of rock record. Her enviable career includes a 17-year stint as frontman for Little Feat.
In recent news, Sean released her 11the th album, I am going home, in June. Produced by Kevin McKendree, who also serves as Delbert McClinton’s musical director, the album features 12 songs, both original and some carefully selected covers, Both showcase Sean’s rich vocal talent. Like many artistic endeavors, the album has been delayed by the pandemic, and Sean, who loves the touring lifestyle, has been forced to stay home much longer than she would like. As soon as travel opportunities resumed, Sean suffered a foot injury that kept her out of her beloved tour for another year.
Sean is healed and ready to roll, she is with american blues scene about her new album and the challenge of releasing new music to fans around the world post-pandemic. Of course, we couldn’t resist asking about some of her career highlights, like her work with Slowhand Clapton. “He’s fantastic; he’s just a British gentleman and I’m very proud and happy to have worked with him and gotten to know him.”
how people order copies I am going home? Your website only mentions US sales, what about fans in other countries?
For foreign orders, I can send electronically via Dropbox. I used to be able to ship physical CDs through CD Baby, but two weeks ago, CD Baby stopped doing any physical service and returned my CDs to me. Shipping to Canada and anywhere in Europe is costly. Even in the US they now use zip codes when you fly first class. Forget Canada, forget California, that’s almost 75 cents more. Right now I just ship within the US via media mail and it’s $3.65 in stock. Even to Canada, $15-20 shipping is costly.
With so many people streaming their music, are artists earning a lot?
My friend’s band, Big Shoes, has 1 million streams on a single song; $16.00 for 7 people.
I love that you sang a Denise LaSalle song on your new record, “Lover Take All,” one of her softer songs. How did you decide which one to choose? You don’t like her indecent things.
I don’t do any politics and I don’t do any explicit music. This might get me bored. This makes me less controversial. When you do this, you alienate 50% of your audience. Back when I was living in Los Angeles, I had an R&B band, the Big Nickels, and we played some Denise LaSalle songs. “Linger a Little Longer” is another song Dennis performed I’m hereI.
I listened to your song while I was working in the yard, that song “Linger a Little Longer” – how painful is it to be a mistress, he’s going back to his wife and you’re staying in the hotel room? I was ready to bury my face in the grass. Several of the songs are more somber. Are you sad, or is that usually what you like to show?
I tend to create a lot of ballads, introverted thinking. There’s a lot of meat in this message.
“Keep Your Head Above the Water” has a more gospel feel.
I wrote this with my two guitarists.
Your voice is very low.
It feels so good to sing in a low voice.
I have to ask you about the 60s. You live this life. Is your job fairly stable?
yes i did. I just go with the flow and sometimes I’ll work with one group while another is already brewing. They’ll say, we’re going on tour here, and I’ll say, that’s fine. I haven’t been home often for several years. It was a really good time. Everything has to be the big guy above to line up all these things. I am so grateful and blessed to be able to do everything I have done and continue to do.
Have you ever been chased by a star? Like Eric Clapton wants me to sing on this record or this tour?
When I walked into the studio on the island of Montserrat, I was in shock because I had never seen him before. Well, I met him once when I was living in Detroit, when my band was being booked by Seger’s manager, Ed “Punch” Andrews. We hadn’t gotten paid the night before, so I went to a club in Punch to get paid. He owns many different clubs. So, I walk in, who’s playing? cream.
OMG!
Everyone sat on the floor and watched them. Unbelievable I had the chance to say hello and meet Eric. I went into Punch’s office, and Bob Seger was there. I shopped for him early on in a few different places, but never got a chance to actually meet him. I saw them both at once.
You have an angel, or as you say, the big guy upstairs. Did your parents say, what the hell are you doing, get an office job?
Oh yeah. My stepfather used to send me clippings in the secretary’s mail for $400 a month, just as a warning. “It’s a good job that gives you some money.” My mom always said, “You’ve got to have something you can count on.” I think it’s a great thing to remember, you know, but I Just give it your all.
IRead, in 1969, you went to the Ann Arbor Blues Festival and fell in love with the blues there. What did you do to get yourself booked for the blues festival?
I lived in Detroit and at the time all my friends in different bands would go to all these local festivals. Ann Arbor was a local festival and we were invited to play. I can’t remember who was on the bill as only stars were listed. We always ride with the drummer – he’s the one who owns the car. If he doesn’t like the bands playing at the festival, we don’t see anything because we have to leave. I did meet Procol Harum about 81 times. He loves them.
For some reason, he decided to stick around and watch some blues acts. When Big Mama Thornton came on, I didn’t even know who she was. “Who is this lady?” She just walked out leisurely and stood there. The band started to play, and her body shook a little. Then she opened her mouth – I get chills thinking about it now. I almost passed out. I’ve been a fan of his forever since.
Do you know her well?
I ran into her by chance and, “Hi, how are you?” is enough to say I had to meet her.
Do you have a daughter somewhere?
Yes, she was born in December 1970.I just got from hair in Detroit. We were closed around Thanksgiving. Funny story about this – sometimes it feels like the baby will grab my ribs and pull them off.In our last show we were doing the hair Ending song “Let the Sunshine in”. It felt like she did, and I bent over.
The bandleader saw me and thought, “She’s going to give birth!” He was conducting the band, and the tempo was getting faster and faster. This is the most interesting thing. The band members looked at him like they were asking what the hell? She didn’t come until the end of December.
Meatloaf also appears in hair with you?
Yes, we played a lot of shows together in different bands back in the ’60s. He lives in Midland or Flint, Michigan, and owns a band called Popcorn Blizzard. They come to the Detroit area and play with all the local bands that play at all the festivals. We have to be good friends. [Note: the two performed together briefly as Stoney and Meatloaf and released an album by that name in 1971 on the Motown subsidiary label Rare Earth.]
Is he still Marvin Lee Aday?
Yes, but he calls himself a meatloaf.we were in hair and the Broadway version hair And the show’s entire run in Washington, D.C. He went on to do some amazing things and I lost track of him.
I went back and forth to Detroit, then Los Angeles, and then back to Detroit. It turned out that Meatloaf was looking for a job in Los Angeles and heard about a film called ” hair. He walks in, they love him, but their list is full. However, they are opening in Detroit soon. “Why don’t you come to that show?” they said. “By the way, we’re looking for some people to audition. Do you know anyone with a loud voice?”
Meatloaf said, “Yeah, but I don’t know how to find her.” Fast forward, in Detroit, my husband saw this profile in the paper about the audition. “Why don’t you try it?” I’m 3 months pregnant. We went there and the auditions had already started. Walking from sunlight into a dark theater, I can’t see anything. The judge sits with a table in the middle.
When the door opened, they looked back to see who was there, and Meatloaf was sitting there. He pointed at me and said, “There she is!” They asked me if I wanted to try it, but I had nothing ready. I got on stage and started singing. When I’m nervous, I sing out loud. I wrote about 3 or 4 sentences in the first stanza, and they said, “Well, well, thanks a lot.” That was short and sweet, I thought. I’m home. Later that night, I got a call, “You got the part, starring.” We talked about the fact that I was pregnant. They said I could play Sheila until I started acting too much, and then they would switch me to the elf.
Are you writing your autobiography?
Oh my gosh, no. My friend Jill Anthony keeps urging me to do this. I won’t name names.
We want all the scoops.
I have my resume on my website; that’s enough.
back to I’m hereFor me, I really like “Lover Takes All”.
I got this song from Tony Braunagel a few years ago when I was trying to make a record. He always sends me cool songs. I passed it on for three albums. In choosing songs for this record, I thought we could make something out of it. It had no punch, but once the band got the hang of it and we rehearsed once, I thought, “This is awesome!” It had its own shelf life. I don’t think it would have been the same without the band I have now.
Do you have travel plans?
Not yet, but we are accepting dates. When I’m gone, I’m going to stop touring, that’s it. I stand there and I can sing loud, big and long. I have more stamina than most people younger than me. So whatever, I’ll go for it.
