Alabama HOME SWEET HOME Gerald Murray Music Being a rowdy friend of Hank Williams Jr., Mor managing multi-city tours for the legendary George Jones would supply enough thrills to last a lifetime for many. For others, writing a best-selling book or reaching the pinnacle of business and academic success would be over the top. n Interestingly enough, Dr. Gerald Murray has achieved these milestones and more on his way to building one of the nation’s most successful

management agencies for Country music artists based in “One was the manager for Hank Williams Jr., and the other Muscle Shoals, Alabama. was a member of Hank’s band,” says Murray. “They wanted to A native of Louisville, Kentucky, Murray moved to Muscle buy some blue jeans for Hank, who was in Cullman, Alabama, Shoals as a child. Little did he know that the early exposure at the time. I asked if I could go along to deliver the jeans.” he would get to Country music would create an interest that Murray met Williams that evening, and the two became fast would eventually land him in the inner circle of some of friends – so fast, in fact, that on that same night Williams gave Country music’s biggest legends. Murray a very special gift: the baby blue 1952 Cadillac that “My dad worked the swing shift,” recalls Murray, “so I spent Hank Williams Sr., died in at age 29. Boasting a career a lot of nights beside the radio listening to my favorite stars, “I felt uncomfortable about having the car and kept it in my filled with an array of particularly Hank Williams Sr. When I wasn’t listening to the garage for three years,” recalls Murray. “With Hank’s approval, unique and exciting radio, I was hanging out with my uncles, all amateur musicians I ended up donating it to the Hank Williams Museum in opportunities, Gerald who loved getting together to play music – especially the hits Nashville.” Murray has built one by their favorite Country music stars. It just got in my blood In the following years, Murray toured with Williams and “Pride’s Not Hard To Swallow,” (MGM Records, 1973) but Jack Greene, Gerald of the nation’s most and never left me.” became one of his “rowdy friends.” The experience wasn’t all with a new #1 hit, Smith opted to stick with him. His manage- Murray and Moe successful agencies fun and games, though. Murray was learning the ropes of the ment of Williams lasted another nine years. Bandy. Murray is a for Country music ROWDY TIMES WITH NEW FRIENDS industry from Williams’ manager at the time, J.R. Smith. Yet, another opportunity waited in the wings. At Smith’s booking agent for artists based in One of Murray’s first business ventures in the 1970s was a In 1978, Gerald Murray Music opened with Smith making recommendation, Murray took the reins of George Jones’ Greene. Muscle Shoals, clothing store in Muscle Shoals where two customers came in a deal to sign over Williams’ management to Murray within a career and managed the singer from 1981 to 1983. Alabama. one day on a special errand for a friend. 60-day period. Williams had not scored a hit in five years since, “There were a lot of good times hanging out with George Some of the many and his band,” says Murray. “Being his manager included Gold and Platinum managing all of his shows, one tour, a 13-day tour that started records by Murray’s in Nashville and turned around in California, covered 9 states clients, Vern Gosdin, and included 12 shows. At the time, Lori Morgan was perform- Hank Williams, Jr. and ing with him and singing Tammy Wynette’s part. We all have the George Jones’ lots of good memories from those days.” album, I Am What I One of Murray’s first decisions was finding an opening act Am, with the number for Jones. He ended up signing Vern Gosdin for $500 a night, one all time song in a move that led to yet another lifelong friendship and business country music, “He partnership. Stopped Loving Her Today” (1980 Epic MANAGER, COLLEGE STUDENT AND AUTHOR Records). It went Gold For the next several years, Murray spent time with Gosdin in 1981 and Platinum touring the country and making more connections in the Life Stories About ‘The Voice,’” (Gerald Murray Music, 2007) in 1983. industry. He also felt inspired to pursue a personal goal of that chronicles Gosdin’s career, which ended with his death in earning a doctorate degree. April 2009. “I always wanted to be a medical doctor and started college Along the way, Murray managed many others, including in pre-med,” says Murray. “I soon realized that being a doctor Dolly Parton’s sister, Stella. would mean taking a pay cut, so I decided to study business.” His current star lineup includes Jack Greene, T. Graham Murray received undergraduate and master’s degrees from Brown, Alabama-based Shenandoah, and manages a recent the University of North Alabama, and in 2000 he graduated Nashville Star finalist. from Nova Southeastern University in Florida at the top of his “I’ve done a lot over my lifetime, including ownership of class with a doctorate in business administration. restaurants, a clothing store, and a manufactured housing Later that year, he returned to the national spotlight when business that I still have,” says Murray. “But nothing compares he signed a management agreement with Gosdin. One of his to the music business and the friends I’ve made along the way. proudest moments was seeing his friend inducted into the That’s home for me now.” Alabama Music Hall of Fame in 2005. Murray is currently working on a project with the RFD TV Murray recently authored an award-winning book, “True series R5Sons, Alaska that has just started its second season. n

2 I Alabama VISIT GERALD MURRAY MUSIC ONLINE: www.geraldmurraymusic.com NORTHERN I 3