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MEET THE MURPHYS

Middi Murphy

Singer / Guitar / Accordion

Middi grew up on a farm just outside of Darlington where he still resides with 150 cattle. Self proclaimed gobs**te, his first dip into the entertainment industry was at the age of 8 as a magician. In 1994 he started what became one of the top mobile disco companies in the north east and in 1999 he took on a contract that saw him playing 5 nights a week on the cruise boats in York. He moved onto bigger cruise ships after that as a cabaret singer but after 9 months at sea he returned to the UK and started singing solo Irish show band music.

Although popular, Middi didn’t enjoy the show band scene and wanted to do something with more edge. In 2005 he started the Wild Murphys with their first official gig at the Tyneside Irish centre. Middi enjoys life on the road and is constantly touring. This theatre show is the culmination of nearly 20 years of work and investment for Middi and a dream come true.

Favorite Band: Rolling Stones

Favorite Song: What's left of the flag - Flogging Molly

Favorite Decade: 90's

Favorite TV Show: How I met your mother

Favorite Drink: Pepsi Max

Most Memorable Venue: Blackpool Grand

Favorite Song in the Show: If I ever leave this world alive

First Car: Vauxhall Combo

Celebrity Crush: Sandra Bullock

What would you be if not a musician: A Virgin

Ruck Jinks

Guitar / Banjo

Another North Yorkshire native, Ruck embarked on a musical journey at the tender age of 15, joining his first band as a guitarist in ‘The Groove Company’. Having left school in 1987 Ruck totally ignored his mechanic father’s advice and became an automotive panel beater/paint sprayer. While his passion for anything with an engine and wheels was strong, his passion and thirst for music was equally at the fore!

Gaining valuable experience gigging with lots of bands soon followed. In 1998 Ruck went to study music at Leeds College and The Guitar institute in London. Using the essential skills and knowledge now gained, Ruck went on to teach guitar and bass at Ripon college, Nscm Darlington, Boroughbridge high school and Aycliffe high school. He then spent 16 years with North Yorkshire County Council as a sound technician and musician, working on music and arts projects with young people, still gigging on a regular basis with bands of varying musical genres. Rock, Jazz, Blues, Funk and Pop.

Favorite Band: Pearl Jam

Favorite Song: Alive - Pearl Jam

Favorite Decade: 90's

Favorite TV Show: Car SOS

Favorite Drink: Beer, Any beer, Lots of beer, give me beer.

Most Memorable Venue: Blackpool Grand

Favorite Song in the Show: Molly Malone

First Car: Mk1 Ford Cortina

Celebrity Crush: Jasmine Harman

What would you be if not a musician: Mechanic

Sophy is a fiddle player who encompasses a huge variety of styles, performing and teaching tunes from America, Scandinavia, Eastern Europe and her native North East of England.

An experienced workshop leader and teacher, she has been a co-director of the Folkworks’ Youth Summer School with Kathryn Tickell. She also performs in The Northlands with Alistair Anderson, the Andy May Trio and Bottle Bank Band with Stewart Hardy. She was a founder member of The Pack and 422, with whom she won the BBC Young Folk Award in 1999.

Sophy Ball

Fiddle

Favorite Band: Iron Maiden

Favorite Song: Teenage Dirtbag - Wheatus

Favorite Decade: 90's

Favorite TV Show: Stranger Things

Favorite Drink: Overpriced White Wine

Most Memorable Venue: Tivoli Theatre Aberdeen

Favorite Song in the Show: Wagon Wheel

First Car: VW Polo

Celebrity Crush: Angelina Jolie

What would you be if not a musician: Carpenter

Tony Davis

Piano / Keys

Tony is a fantastic pianist, fluent in many styles. Most notably he adopts a ‘Floyd Cramer’ and ‘Bruce Hornsby’ type sound for his performances in the Murphys show.

Tony has been a record producer since the mid ‘90s currently operating his own recording studio in his native Newcastle where he has produced albums with Beverly Knight, Tony Christie, Jimmy Nail, Brian Johnson, and many more big name Northern artists.

Tony has produced all of the Wild Murphys tracks and recordings. In the ‘90s Tony toured professionally with chart topping folk group ‘Prelude’.

Favorite Band: Beach Boys

Favorite Song: You've got a friend - James Taylor

Favorite Decade: 80's

Favorite TV Show: Vikings

Favorite Drink: Red wine

Most Memorable Venue: Rhyl Pavilion

Favorite Song in the Show: Galway Girl

First Car: Mark 1 Vauxhall Astra

Celebrity Crush: Anna De Armas

What would you be if not a musician: Drunk All Day

Will Stockbridge

Bass

Hailing from historic Richmond town in North Yorkshire, Will is the son of a local Luthier (That’s a Guitar maker, not to be confused with a Lucifer) and has been surrounded by stringed instruments since he can remember, as a result of this he can’t quite recall when he first picked up the bass, but seems to have always played it. Will studied Jazz at northern conservatoire Leeds College of Music, and has toured around Europe with Folk Rock outfit ‘Magna Carta’. Will has also performed with acts such as Issimo, Leo Stannard and Marc Almond, along with regularly playing with his own Jazz ensemble Prohibited Strangers.

Will has served his time working in various pubs in and around the Yorkshire Dales, and is well versed in pulling a good pint with a generous portion of craic on the side.

Favorite Band: The Staves

Favorite Song: Hejira - Joni Mitchell

Favorite Decade: 2020's (I'm hoping for the best!)

Favorite TV Show: The thick of it

Favorite Drink: Beer Negroni

Most Memorable Venue: Weymouth Pavilion

Favorite Song in the Show: St. Annes

First Car: Renault Clio

Celebrity Crush: Vera Whiteley

What would you be if not a musician: A dry stone waller

Trevor Brewis

Drums

From the heart of beautiful Northumberland Trevor is drummer with more pedigree than the Crufts semi-final! An experienced drummer who has spent the best part of his life touring and recording an eclectic mix of styles and working with a variety of musicians including: The Toy Dolls, Jimmy Nail, acclaimed Blues Guitarist Trevor Sewell to name but a few, not forgetting The Caffrey Brothers where he had the pleasure of working with Tony Davis for several years.

Favorite Band: Brotherhood of man

Favorite Song: Roar - Katy Perry

Favorite Decade: 80's

Favorite TV Show: Amazing Spaces

Favorite Drink: Franziskaner Weissbier

Most Memorable Venue: Blackpool Grand

Favorite Song in the Show: Drunken Lullabies

First Car: Hillman Imp

Celebrity Crush: Stacey Dooley

What would you be if not a musician: Bankrupt

Fay Donaldson

Sax / Flute

Fay is a native of the small North Yorkshire town of Northallerton. She graduated from Leeds College of Music with a Combined BA (Hons) Degree, specialising in Classical Flute and Popular Saxophone.

Since graduating, Fay’s passion for different styles of music and ability to play the Flute, Piccolo, Sax, and Clarinet has taken her to a variety of events, weddings, bars, theatres and festivals across the UK. Alongside her performing, Fay enjoys teaching across the Woodwind family and Piano. Fay has played with several pop bands and big bands, along with One night in Dublin, you can also see Fay regularly touring with various BBC theatre productions.

Favorite Band: The Kooks

Favorite Song: Blue - Eiffel 65

Favorite Decade: 80's

Favorite TV Show: Love Island

Favorite Drink: Gin

Most Memorable Venue: Blackpool Grand

Favorite Song in the Show: Dirty Auld Town

First Car: Renault Clio

Celebrity Crush: Zach Efron

What would you be if not a musician: Fashion Designer

Ben Helm

Banjo

Based in Newcastle upon Tyne, UK, Ben Helm is a professional session musician, educator, band leader and arranger who has over 20 years experience in live performance, studio recording and directing ensembles.

Ben is a highly in-demand session musician in the North of England, throughout the UK and further afield.

A few of Ben's career highlights to date include, working with Nick Mason (Pink Floyd), performing at the BBC 6Music Festival and headlining the Sage Gateshead in the North East.

Ben has featured in many local and national publications such as Q and CLASH and his work has received airplay on Radio 1, BBC Radio 2, 6Music, BBC Newcastle, and Amazing Radio.

Favorite Band: Steely Dan

Favorite Song: Peg

Favorite Decade: 60's

Favorite TV Show: Brooklyn 99

Favorite Drink: Guinness

Most Memorable Venue: The Sage, Gateshead

Favorite Song in the Show: Wagon Wheel

First Car: Peugeot 108

Celebrity Crush: Miss Piggy

What would you be if not a musician: Cheese Taster

Paul Finlay

Sound Engineer

Paul has been running sound for the One night

in Dublin since late 2020.

"Make me a coffee or I'll make you sound terrible!"

Favorite Band: Toto

Favorite Song: Caught in the balance

Favorite Decade: 80's

Favorite TV Show: Loose Women

Favorite Drink: John Smiths

Most Memorable Venue: Redditch Palace

Favorite Song in the Show: Drunken Lullabies

First Car: Fisher price baby buggy

Celebrity Crush: Nicola Sturgeon

What would you be if not a sound guy: Chimneysweep

Phil Dodsworth

Driver / Crew

Phil has been driving the One night in Dublin truck since the tour started in May 2019.