The legendary Shirley Murdock is back with a leading role in a new Christmas play as well as a new gospel CD entitled, The Journey. The Baltimore Gospel Music Examiner recently had an opportunity to talk to Murdock about the amazing journey that God has had her on.
Shirley Murdock- Hi Kevin! How are you?
Gospel Music Examiner– I’m doing well! How are you doing?
Shirley Murdock - I’m doing great! Thank you!
Gospel Music Examiner- It’s a pleasure to speak to you. I know that you will be featured in a Christmas play this weekend entitled “I’ll Be Home for Christmas”. How did you get involved with that project?
Shirley Murdock- “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” is a play written by T.J. Hemphill, who I have had the pleasure of working with before. He is out of Detroit, Michigan and he is a wonderful writer and director. I have the privilege of working with [singers] Freddie Jackson, Lisa Page Brooks and Sam Logan.
This play deals with a family and I play opposite of Freddie; I play the pastor’s wife. There is a little rivalry going on with our son. There is kind of a prodigal son theme in this play, however, I don’t want to give too much away because I want everyone to come and see it for themselves. I can guarantee that it will be funny and heart-warming. There will also be some great singing and some wonderful acting. You are guaranteed to have a wonderful time. This play is something that you can bring the whole family to. It is going to be a real nice event!
Baltimore Gospel Music Examiner- It looks like there will be a couple of shows in New Jersey and one at the Apollo Theater in New York. Are there any plans to do more shows other than these three?
Shirley Murdock-Well, I am really not sure yet. I think they have done the play before, however, I am the new kid on the block. The play is a wonderful piece of work and I am happy to be a part of the cast. Freddie Jackson and I have been friends for years and years since back in the day. So, to have the opportunity to play opposite him and to be his wife will be some kind of funny (laughs). We are both looking forward to it. In fact, we just saw each other about a month ago at an event that [actress] Sheryl Lee Ralph has every year where she raises money for AIDS awareness. So we saw each other there and talked about how we are looking forward to working with each other. It’s going to be a blast!
Baltimore Gospel Music Examiner- I’m glad to hear that! Just so everyone is aware the shows on Saturday, December 17th are in New Jersey while the show on Sunday, December 18th is in New York. How can people find out more information about the play?
Shirley Murdock- People can go online at www.homeforxmas.com.
Baltimore Gospel Music Examiner-I also would like to talk about your new CD that just came out, The Journey. It is doing well on the charts and it also happens to be your 1st live CD. Since this is your 3rd gospel release, what made you want to do a live album this time around?
Shirley Murdock-Actually, the president of Tyscot Records [Dr. Leonard Scott], my record company, has had the opportunity to see me minister live and he really wanted me to do a live album. When you do a live recording, you get the freedom to be influenced by the moment and the atmosphere and the people and how God is moving you at that time. So there is a lot of freedom that comes with doing something live. That cannot always be translated in the studio. I was a little nervous because I have never done it before. The Journey allows the listener to hear the flow of what God does with me and through me. I was also very excited because I got the opportunity to work with a Grammy Award winning producer, Cedric Thompson, who has worked with LeJuene Thompson, who is a wonderful gospel artist. I also got the opportunity to call up a few of my girlfriends too! Kelly Price is doing a song with me along with Regina Belle and Beverly Crawford. At the very end of the CD, the three of us come together to do a song called “Someday”.
Baltimore Gospel Music Examiner – I had the opportunity to listen to The Journey and it is very good. I have followed your career for a while and was really encouraged by listening to the CD. There is also a DVD release of the CD too.
Shirley Murdock- Yes, there is. The anointing that happened the night was captured and when you listen to the CD or watch the DVD, you get a chance to experience what took place that night.
Baltimore Gospel Music Examiner- I know that “Dream” is the first single, have you decided what the next single will be?
Shirley Murdock- We are trying to determine that right now to get an idea of the next single. I have put snippets of the CD on my Facebook page as well as on my website, which is www.shirleymurdocklifesongs.com. That way, people can listen to them to let us know what they like and what they would like to hear next.
One of the exciting things about this first live recording is that we listened to about 40 songs! The CD is called The Journey and it is a culmination of my life, my life experiences and the music that I have been influenced by. I grew up singing in church and singing on the church choir. Some of those good ole hand clappin’, foot stompin’ songs, like the song that I do with Beverly Crawford [“He is The Rock”], are the types of songs that I sang as a young girl in my choir. My prayer was “God, show me how to use everything in my life for Your Glory and for the Kingdom”. All of the things that I have learned in my mainstream recording career, I wanted to bring that knowledge into the body of Christ. We chose the songs on The Journey on purpose, with purpose!
I sing on the Praise and Worship Team. I am a worshipper and I love to be in the presence of God. There is a wonderful worship song called “Lord Your Reign” and the song “Word”. The Journey just flows from out of one thing into another. There is a song on The Journey that I really love called “Winner in Me”. You have a lot of young people today being bullied and it is so important to understand that you are fearfully and wonderfully made and that God made you with purpose and that you are a winner because you’re God’s child! Many people think that the journey begins when you’re born and ends when you die, but, I believe the journey begins when you are an idea in the mind of the Lord! God said that I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you, thoughts and plans of peace and not evil to give you an expected end. So, some of the stuff that we are going through is not the plan of God. We get so discombobulated and we get so disconnected through life but life happens to everyone. If you are disconnected, you can get reconnected with the One who is the dream giver, the dream keeper, the dream fulfiller! That’s the dream that would not die! When you understand that you are a child of the Most High King, you walk different and you stand different. The song I sing with Kelly Price [“Keep Lovin’ Me”] says that “I know that there were times that you probably shouldn’t have but I thank you for always loving me!” It reminds us of the unconditional love of God.
Baltimore Gospel Music Examiner- I think we can give the benediction and take up the offering now!
Shirley Murdock- (Laughs) As long as you have breath in your body, it is not over until you win!
Baltimore Gospel Music Examiner- I would like to encourage you to continue to stay focused on what God is doing in your life! To have a CD like The Journey, that ministers to what people are going through, is really a blessing!
Shirley Murdock- Amen! I appreciate that so much and I am encouraged by that. I ask that you keep me in prayer. I know that I am called to be an evangelist and I am looking for the lost. I know that I have a word for the body of Christ but the real call on my life is to go get the lost. We have to understand that in the body of Christ, we are one body with many members and Jesus is the head. My head can’t do what my hands can do and my legs can’t do what my arms can do but when you put it all together and with Jesus as our head, we can get it done! We are all fishers of men and some of us are deep sea fishers where we may have to go out to the deep to get the lost. As an evangelist, I know that I may have to go to unusual places that may be outside of the four walls of the church.
Baltimore Gospel Music Examiner- That is so true because Jesus Christ, Himself, had dinner with publicans and other undesirables and people criticized Him for that. He never changed because He was going to go get the people. Sometimes, people get it mistaken and think that the only place where they can witness is in the church. We should be a witness on our jobs, on the bus stop, in the grocery store, wherever. People should see the glory of God resting on us because that is what will draw people to Christ.
Shirley Murdock- How will people know if we don’t tell them? We are the arms, the legs and the face of the Lord. That is how we draw people to Jesus. Where ever God has placed you, let Him shine! God said that if He be lifted up, He will draw men unto Him.
Baltimore Gospel Music Examiner- What are your plans for 2012?
Shirley Murdock- I am going to have my heart and ear open to the Spirit of God. Every door that God will open, I am walking through it! I have learned to trust what the Lord is saying and I have also learned to do things without trying to please people. As long as the Lord is pleased, that is what counts! Approach the New Year being ready to be used by God! Be ready to do something for someone else. When we do that, we are taking the focus off of us and putting it on Christ. Then, we are walking in the great commission.
Baltimore Gospel Music Examiner- There will be many people who will never pick up the Bible. They should, however, be able to read the life of God’s people because we should have the Holy Spirit in us!
Shirley Murdock- Come on preacher!
Baltimore Gospel Music Examiner- How can your fans keep in contact with you?
Shirley Murdock- I am trying to get Twitterliscious! (laughs). I am on Twitter @Shirley Murdock. I also have a fan page on Facebook and again through my website, www.shirleymurdocklifesongs.com. I called my website “Life Songs” because I believe that people need a balance in their lives. We need songs that are going to help us in our everyday lives. My CD is called The Journey because it shows where I have been and there are some songs on that record that will help you on your own individual journey.
Baltimore Gospel Music Examiner- This has been a phenomenal conversation! It has been a pleasure talking to you. Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to speak with me.
Shirley Murdock- Thank you too Kevin! What you are doing is ministry. Often we think that ministry is being behind the pulpit but ministry means to help and you are helping people with the words that God gives you to write to your readers. And then having opportunities for people like me to be interviewed and to share what the Lord has given us to say is also a blessing. I want to thank you and I honor you, my brother.
Baltimore Gospel Music Examiner- God bless you!
Shirley Murdock- You are very welcome! God bless you too Kevin!
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