Blues singer Murphy to headline FA5

Aug. 18—The 14th week of Friday After 5 will be full of the blues and gospel music taking center stage as the city kicks off the Bluegrass Legends Experience Car Show OBKY starting at 5 p.m. today, Aug. 18, along the Ohio River.

Blues singer Shaun Murphy will perform with her band as the headlining act starting at 8 p.m. on the Jagoe Homes Riverfront Live Stage, which will be moved from the Holiday Inn Owensboro Riverfront to the Atmos Amphitheater in McConnell Plaza.

The opening act will be the Stillwell-Cramer Project, which includes two-time Hollywood Independent Music Award-nominee Tommy Stillwell and Kenne Cramer — kicking off the music at 6 p.m.

Murphy will be making her FA5 debut.

"It's a great, great honor. I'm just so happy to (be coming) there," she said. "(Tommy) is so well-known and loved in Owensboro ... and he's been touting (Owensboro's) wonderful ... events for a long, long time; so I'm just finally getting to be able to do it.

"It's just a delightful town. I'm just so excited to be there and see the people and do this event."

Born in Nebraska, Murphy became involved in the Detroit music scene and was part of the first Ann Arbor Blues Festival in 1969 alongside the likes of Muddy Waters, B.B. King and Freddie King among others.

She found success as a performer in productions of the musicals "Hair" and "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band on the Road" in the early 70s before landing a recording contract with Rare Earth Records, a division of Motown Records, with eventual Grammy-winner and fellow "Hair" castmate Meat Loaf under the group name Stoney & Meatloaf.

The soul rock duo proved to be short-lived and disbanded in 1972, and Murphy went on to work with Bob Seger and Eric Clapton before joining the southern rock group Little Feat full-time as the lead singer in 1993 and remaining with the band for 16 years.

Murphy returned to her blues roots with, "Livin' The Blues," in September 2009 with the Shaun Murphy Band.

Other efforts have included the 2012 album "Ask for the Moon," which earned Murphy three Grammy Award nominations.

Her 11th record, "I'm Coming Home," was released in June.

Murphy is happy to still be doing something she loves.

"It's just been a great, great life," she said. "I pray that I'm going to be doing it for the rest of my life. I have no compunction thinking about retiring.

"I love it."

Murphy said her approach when getting on stage is about "taking no prisoners."

"I just kind of hit you over the head," she laughed. "I'm not a shy, retiring jewel kind vibe on stage. We'll see what happens."

Murphy said she gets excited when getting a glimpse of the crowd and wants people to take advantage of the time they have together.

"They kind of feed me (with the) energy; it's sort of a give-and-take kind of thing," she said. "The more they're into it, the more I'm into it ... and I just love that feeling.

"If the fans weren't there, neither would we. ... They're just an integral element ...."

Other acts on the lineup include classic rock and blues outfit Army of Life performing from 7-9 p.m. on the Romain Subaru Overlook Stage and Lew Jetton & 61 South taking over the Ruoff Party Pier Stage from 8:30-11:30 p.m.

The final night of Glenn's Hallelujah Fridays this season will start at 6:30 p.m. at Settle Memorial United Methodist Church, 201 East Fourth St.

The lineup will include a performance by the Firm Foundation Quartet.

Steve Bridgmon, member of FFQ, will also serve as emcee.

"We are thrilled to be part of Glenn's Hallelujah Fridays, and we are ecstatic being together again on the platform," he said. "It's just going to be a great night."

Fellow musician Collin White will serve as the opening act.

For more information and updates, visit fridayafter5.com or facebook.com/fridayafter5.

A free Friday After 5 app is available for download on the Apple App Store or Google Play.