Larry Murray (musician)

Larry Murray (1937-2025) was an American musician, songwriter, and producer known for his influential role in the development of folk-rock music and his wide-ranging contributions to television and recorded music. He co-founded the early 1960s folk-bluegrass group The Scottsville Squirrel Barkers—featuring future members of The Byrds and The Eagles—and later formed the pioneering country rock band Hearts and Flowers, which released two albums on Capitol Records. Murray released a solo album, Sweet Country Suite, in 1971 and contributed vocals to The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band’s landmark recording, Will the Circle Be Unbroken. As the host of the Monday night weekly "Hootenanny" open mic shows at the legendary Troubadour Club in Los Angeles, Murray played a key role in supporting the early careers of artists such as Jackson Browne, Jennifer Warnes, Chris Hillman, and Bernie Leadon.

Beyond performing, Murray worked as a writer and music coordinator for The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour, The Johnny Cash Show, and wrote comedy for The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour (uncredited) and Hee Haw (uncredited). He co-wrote the screenplay for the film Gospel Road with Johnny Cash and helped form The Highwaymen after producing a Johnny Cash Christmas Special in Switzerland. Murray’s songwriting was recorded by a wide range of artists including Johnny Cash, Tommy Cash, Waylon Jennings, Percy Sledge, The Byrds, Olivia Newton-John, and Kris Kristofferson, leaving a lasting legacy across genres and decades. Murray passed away on May 16, 2025 in Los Angeles at the age of 88.