Michael Derrington Murphy

Dr. Michael (Mike) Derrington Murphy (born July 19, 1940) is a chemistry professor, bluegrass musician, and educator^[1] who founded the Bama Bluegrass Show in 1983. Bama Bluegrass is the first and longest running bluegrass show on Alabama public radio.

Bluegrass

In 1983, Mike ("Doc") Murphy founded the Bama Bluegrass^[2] radio show on Alabama Public Radio station WUAL-91.5 FM in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, after starting a Bluegrass and folk music organization on the campus of the University of Alabama. "Doc" hosted the weekly Saturday night radio show for seven years (1983–1990). The show is currently in its 25th consecutive year on air.

Bluegrass music is an important part of southern and American culture and Dr. Murphy has spent his career promoting bluegrass music and education around the U.S. A bluegrass musician and instrument maker himself, Dr. Murphy has conducted bluegrass music workshops around the U.S. for students and teachers. He has started and led bluegrass clubs at U.S. universities and colleges. His work was rewarded with an International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) - World of Bluegrass Award on October 4, 2007 in Nashville, Tennessee. The award recognized his creation of educational lessons and materials to incorporate bluegrass music into America's schools.

Education

An author and teacher, Murphy has written a chemistry textbook and was awarded National Science Foundation grants for training elementary teachers. In the 1990s, Murphy was selected to participate in the Institute for Chemical Education (ICE) at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, where he earned his B.S. degree in secondary education. He earned a Master's degree in chemistry from the University of South Dakota in 1965 and a Ph.D. in chemistry and chemical education from the Ohio State University in 1972.

Murphy has been teaching chemistry and physical science at Northwest-Shoals Community College since 1983, and formed the college's first Bluegrass Jam Club in 2006.

References

1. ^ Campbell, Phil (December 23, 1984). "Northwest Offers Guitar Lessons For Beginners". Times Daily: p. 7E. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=fmgeAAAAIBAJ&sjid=78cEAAAAIBAJ&pg=5540,7087682&dq=michael+murphy+bluegrass&hl=en. Retrieved 10 August 2011. 
2. ^ Bama Bluegrass Retrieved June 2011

External links

Biography portal

• International Bluegrass Music Association

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Name	Murphy, Michael Derrington
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Date of birth	July 19, 1940
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