Michael Hurley
b. 20 December 1941, Bucks County, Pennsylvania, USA. Hurley began playing guitar at the age of 13 and subsequently led an itinerant lifestyle until gravitating to the folk enclave at New York's Greenwich Village. An accomplished performer and songwriter, he was about to secure a major recording deal when a combination of hepatitis and mononucleosis led to a lengthy spell in hospital. Hurley made his delayed debut in 1964 on the traditional outlet, Folkways Records. First Songs featured support from longtime friend and associate Robin Remailly and revealed an artist of quirky imagination and vocal delivery. The set included the singer's first version of "The Werewolf", later popularized by the Holy Modal Rounders, and the piece for which its creator is best remembered. The same group recorded several other Hurley compositions, including "Radar Blues" and "Morning Glory", while the Youngbloods acknowleged their respect by signing Hurley to their Raccoon label, thus ending a six-year hiatus. Armchair Boogie and Hi-Fi Snock Uptown maintained the singer's idiosyncratic style while offering muted instrumental support. During the 70s Hurley completed several releases for the traditional outlet Rounder Records, and was a major contributor to Have Moicy, a various artist's compendium declared "best album of 1975" in the New York Village Voice and "one of the Top 10 albums of the decade" in Rolling Stone. By this point the singer had repaired to rural Vermont and although opportunities to record lessened, the enchanting The Watchtower and subsequent albums in the 90s (several on his own Bellemeade Phonics label) showed Hurley's gifts and wit intact. He is currently resident in Portsmouth, Ohio.
Listen to Michael Hurley
at Finetune.
Albums
- (1980) Snockgrass
Top Tracks
- I'm Gettin' Ready To Go
- Grapefruit Juice Blues
- Automatic Slim & The Fat Boys
- Don't Treat Me Bad
- I Heard The Voice Of A Porkchop
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