Biography

Rural Rhythm Records is proud to announce the release of Michael Martin Murphey's mega-hit, "Wildfire", as a duet with RRR recording artist Carrie Hassler.

"Wildfire" is the title of a popular song from 1975 (see 1975 in music) that was written by Michael Martin Murphey and Larry Cansler. It was originally performed by Murphey (who had yet to add his middle name to his recorded work), and it appears on his 1975 album Blue Sky - Night Thunder.


Released as the lead single from Murphey's album, "Wildfire" became the singer's highest charting pop hit in the United States. The song spent two weeks at #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in June 1975. In addition, it reached the top of the Billboard adult contemporary chart, where it remained for one week.


Murphey and Cansler co-wrote "Wildfire" in 1968, shortly after Murphey emerged as a solo artist. He had been part of a duo known as the Lewis & Clarke Expedition with fellow singer-songwriter Boomer Castleman earlier in the 1960s. When Murphey re-recorded "Wildfire" for a new album in 1997, he was quoted by Billboard magazine as saying that what many consider his signature song "broke my career wide open and, on some level, still keeps it fresh. Because that song appeals to kids, and always has, it's kept my career fresh.