At 17, George Murphy’s talent and a wee bit of Irish luck came together when he landed a record deal with Sony Music. The result was the album Dreamed a Dream, which hit number one on the charts the following year. The seasoned singer/songwriter has been on “a rollercoaster ever since.”

Despite the upheavals that often come with early fame, the frontman for the Dublin-based band The Rising Sons has stayed the course for more than two decades, ever-evolving as a recording and performing artist. His ascent appeared inevitable.

“I was raised in a family full of music and performance,” Murphy recalls via email exchange with Celtic Life International. “Singing has been in my nature since I could crawl, and it’s brought me all around the world and given me some of the best friends and memories I have ever made.”

That natural unfolding also shaped the coming together of his band, The Rising Sons.

“It was somewhat of a fluke. I was on a break from touring and approached a local bar about starting a weekly session. When I heard some of the players at this session and witnessed the craic and camaraderie, I knew it was something I wanted to take out on the road.”

As with many artists, a musical journey often demands resilience, and Murphy shares openly about the rougher patches. “There have been times over the 20 years that I fell out of love with music. Not because I didn’t still want to perform, but when it becomes something that you are doing specifically to pay bills and not for the love of the art and creativity, then the passion can diminish, and so finding that passion all over again has given me a new lease of life.”

Facing doubt and uncertainty, and leaning on faith in leaner years, that rediscovery came about in gradual stages.

“The tough times have probably helped me write some of my best material. When it comes to music, there are no guarantees of success. For 20 years now, I have not known where my paycheck will be coming from, and for many, that can be a scary scenario. Keeping the faith and perseverance is key to an artist’s longevity in what can be a very unforgiving industry…”

Despite this, there have been many milestones that he shares with pride. “I was thrilled when my first album came in at number 1 on the Irish charts, and sharing the stage with The Dubliners and Aslan, who I grew up adoring and listening to. I had the chance to perform for several Irish sports teams after big wins, and being on the altar at Shane McGowan’s funeral with some of the greatest names in Irish music was simply surreal.”

Over time, Murphy’s artistic identity would expand. “In the beginning, I was a singer only, and I wasn’t writing songs or playing instruments. The journey to now being an accomplished musician and songwriter has been a long one.”

That growth is reflected in the band’s latest release, Something Out of Nothing. The project came about after years of touring and a shared goal to create work that fully represented where they had arrived as a group.

“We needed a record to release to our fans, one we could be proud of and that would stand the test of time, so we got our creative caps on and took to the studio. We wrote, we rehearsed, and we voted on the approach we should take. Thankfully, we have a lot of talented individuals and friends who helped us, and we are very happy with the finished product.”

Fans and listeners appear to agree. “What began as a session in the corner of our local pub has surpassed all of our expectations, and we are filling some of the country’s biggest auditoriums.”

Those live shows are awash in authenticity, emotion, and connection.

“You need to know how to take the audience on that journey. When you have worked at great length to finish an album, and then you finally can share it with the world, and 1000s of people sing back to you at shows, well, there is no greater feeling in the world.”

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