Chris Murrell
Birth nameByron Christopher Murrell
Born(1956-12-18)December 18, 1956
Winston-Salem, North Carolina, U.S.
DiedJune 18, 2017(2017-06-18) (aged 60)
Winston-Salem, North Carolina, U.S.
GenresGospel, jazz
Occupation(s)Singer

Byron Christopher Murrell (December 18, 1956 – June 18, 2017)[1] was an American jazz and gospel singer who has toured as the featured vocalist for the Count Basie Orchestra and has made appearances with the Roger Humphries Big Band and performed for a SCETV special with the Andrew Thielen Big Band.

Biography

Murrell began singing as a young child and continued to study voice and perform through his childhood, singing in church and school functions. As a teenager, he traveled and performed throughout the US with his own seven-piece gospel group, the Christian Disciples.[2]

Murrell graduated from Wake Forest University in 1979 with a degree in theater, and was a lifelong resident of Winston-Salem, North Carolina. In May 1986, Frank Foster was the guest soloist at a concert with the North Carolina School of the Arts Jazz Ensemble in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Chris was invited to be a guest vocal soloist on the same concert, where Foster, who was shortly to take over as leader of the Count Basie Orchestra, heard Chris's rendition of "Lush Life"; when the opportunity presented itself, he hired Chris to be the featured vocalist with the Count Basie Orchestra.[3] He toured worldwide with the Count Basie Orchestra until 2002.

In 2002, Murrell released a solo album, Reprise; in the liner notes, Tony Bennett called him "one of my favorite singers".[4] In 2004, his vocals were featured on the CD These Foolish Things by the Joe Aiello Trio.[5]

Murrell died on June 18, 2017, at the age of 61 in his native Winston-Salem, North Carolina.[4]

References

  1. ↑ "Death Notices". Clark S. Brown & Sons Funeral Home. Retrieved June 22, 2017.
  2. ↑ West Virginia University Arts & Entertainment Archived January 18, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
  3. ↑ Nowlin, Rick (March 29, 2006). "Music Preview: Singer Chris Murrell keeps his musical options open". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
  4. 1 2 Felder, Lynn (June 20, 2017). "Singer and Winston-Salem native Chris Murrell dies at 61". Winston-Salem Journal.
  5. ↑ These Foolish Things at AllMusic. Retrieved June 22, 2017.
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